A woman who was only trying to protect her husband from an attack, has ended up getting mauled to death by her own pet dog.

Tania Klemke  is a woman who was killed by her own pet dog as she desperately tried to stop it from attacking her partner.

According to Metro UK, the woman was mauled to death by red nose pitbull Simba after she stepped in to save her unnamed partner.

Her beloved pet started attacking the man by biting him in the leg at around 4am yesterday morning. Writing on Facebook, Tania’s son Cody, said the dog ‘attacked the guy and the woman tried to stop him, then the dog turned on her’.

Police were called to her home by concerned neighbours who said they heard ‘desperate screams’ coming from the house in Australian capital, Canberra.

When police arrived they started trying to save her life, but the pitbull turned on them, forcing officers to shoot it dead. Despite the violent attack, photographs have since emerged showing Simba as a loving dog to his owner.

One photo shows the pair cuddled up together on the couch and in another, Cody is seen nuzzling Simba’s face as Tania sits close-by.

The mother, aged in her 40s, reportedly know the dog was dangerous, with friends reporting it had a ‘habit’ of attacking visitors. In one instance in August, a person was left needing 42 stitches after being bitten by the pitbull.

She felt she could not get rid of him though, because he once ‘took a bullet’ for her during a violent home break in. A group of men wielding weapons broke into the property and assaulted Tania before shots were fired – with a bullet striking the dog in the ear, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Describing the death as ‘tragic’, a police spokesperson said there would be an ongoing investigation.

‘On arrival police were directed by a male in the backyard into the premises towards a female that was lying inside,’ the spokesperson said.

‘A dog was also inside the premises. Police entered and attempted to provide first aid to the woman inside the house.

‘While she was being worked on the dog attacked police officers, forcing them to fire a number of shots.’

Cody paid tribute to his mother on 7News, saying: ‘My mum was a beautiful and honest person.

‘She had the biggest heart and always did anything she possibly could for the people she loved and cared for.’