This photo shows a brave young woman all bloodied after she tried to stop a pit bull from attacking a smaller dog, and it savaged her face.

Management student Luana Michele de Aquino, 23, suffered injuries to her face after she was attacked by the violent canine.

The incident took place at a condominium in the administrative region of Vicente Pires in the Federal District in west-central Brazil at around 9am yesterday (Wednesday, 26th January).

At the time of reporting by local media, Luana was due to undergo an urgent operation on her nose yesterday afternoon.

The cost of the surgery was reported to be BRL 13,000 (GBP 1,780), and local media reported that Luana’s family does not have health insurance.

The young woman’s neighbours were reportedly raising funds to pay for the operation.

The owner of the pit bull is reported to live in the same condominium as the young woman.

The man, whose identity had not been divulged at the time of reporting, told the Military Police (Brazil’s preventive police force) that his wife had left for work and had accidentally left the gate open.

He was reportedly charged with negligence in caring for animals.

The attack allegedly happened when the pit bull attacked a smaller dog that was with the young woman. She tried to fend the larger dog off, but it bit her on the nose.

Another woman came to her aid, but the pit bull also attacked the second woman. Luckily, she only suffered minor scratches on her arm.

The Military Police were called, but by the time officers arrived on the scene, the student had already been taken to hospital.

Another resident said it was not the first time the pit bull had attacked people in the condominium.

It is currently unclear if the dog has been confiscated by the authorities and put down.