Sister of tragic dog attack victim Nicole Morey 'didn't think it was real' when she found out

Nicole had just returned to her house in Fedamore, Co Limerick after her birthday celebrations when she was attacked and killed by her dogs - her sister has opened up in her first interview since Nicole's tragic passing

The sister of the victim of tragic dog attack Nicole Morey has opened up for the first time in an interview after her horrific loss.

Jolene Morey has called for stricter measures to be put in place against XL bully dogs after her sister Nicole was killed by her own dogs.

In the emotional interview, Jolene said she "didn't believe it was real" when she heard something had happened to her sister.

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From tomorrow (Tuesday 1 October), Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphrey’s new legislation will make it illegal to import, breed or sell an XL Bully dog. The new law was prompted by Nicole’s tragic death on 4 June this year.

Speaking on Upfront with Katie Hannon, Jolene opened up about the horror of the night Nicole died, as she explained she was contacted to say that her sister needed help. Jolene said: “I was sitting in my room in darkness, and I rang Nicole because I didn't believe it was real. Then I texted her, I said, ‘Are you okay?’ And got no message back. And then a video got sent to me. And they asked me if it was with my sister. And I just remember clicking into a video and seeing her on the floor.”

“I was just waiting for the phone call to say she's gone because I had a feeling in my stomach that she didn't survive it. But my mom was like, ‘No, it's only bites and stuff.’ Then my uncle rang, and I just knew from his voice that she was gone.”

Jolene paid tribute to her older sister in the interview: “My family want Nicole to be remembered as how much of a good person she was. Not the girl that died from the dog attack or the videos that's going viral. Nicole did so well in life. Nicole would do anything for anyone. She's just a lovable person.”

Jolene also said that stricter measures were needed in order to keep people safe from XL bully breeds.

“The law they’re bringing out, you have to have a license, you have to have papers... But my sister had all them," she said, “Nicole loved them dogs. And the dogs loved Nicole, but they just turned on her."

Watch Upfront with Katie Hannon tonight at 10.35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.

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