Deanne Wright, 72, of Santa Fe, went to check an out-of-town neighbor’s mail at 3:10 p.m. Saturday and saw two dogs, an English bulldog and a border collie, running straight for her.
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| Deanne Wright recovers at home |
“They stopped right in front of me, growling and barking,” Wright said. “I stood still. You’re not supposed to move. All of the sudden, the white dog lunged at me, grabbed my foot and I went down.”
Donald Dulaney, 60, of Alvin, saw the attack while driving by. He’d just left a nearby field after picking up hay for his daughter’s horses.
“When I saw the dog yank her leg out from underneath her, I just happened to be right there,” Dulaney said.
Rescued By Passer-By
Dulaney stopped his truck and trailer in the 7300 block of FM 646 South and bolted toward the attack.
“I didn’t have anything to hit it with, so I grabbed the collar and choked it until it let go,” Dulaney said. “I grabbed the collar and twisted it like a tourniquet. It was strong enough and held. It couldn’t get enough air to be active. We lucked out.”
The collie-mix bit Dulaney on both hands, he said.
“He got me as soon as I latched onto the collar,” Dulaney said. “I turned around and slapped him down. That’s when he got my other hand. I hit him pretty hard in the nose, and he didn’t want anymore. Luckily, he decided to go on home.”
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| The damage to Deanne Wright's leg caused by the dog attack |
Wright was treated at the University of Texas Medical Branch for several deep wounds to her foot and leg.
Dulaney’s wife, a nurse, took care of his injuries, he said.
The bulldog, a 3-year-old male named Crank, was vaccinated for rabies May 21, according to a Galveston County Animal Control report. The report listed no rabies vaccination information for the 7-year-old male border collie-mix named Benny.
Owner Cited
The report lists Debbie Wyatt, 50, as the owner of the dogs. She was cited on a violation that accused her of allowing the dogs to run at large, the report states.
Wright’s husband, Bob Wright, 67, said the county’s animal control didn’t quarantine the animals and returned them to their owner.
“In many cases, this being one, if the animals are going to be quarantined at a veterinary office, the owner is allowed to keep the animals until the next business morning when they can be quarantined,” said Kurt Koopmann, a spokesman for the Galveston County Health District.
“Assurances are obtained from the owner that the animal will remained confined until then.”
The report didn’t list why the dogs were at large, but Bob Wright took photographs of the yard he said they escaped from.
The photographs show what looks like chunks of concrete filling gaps between the fence and ground.
Dogs Quarantined
Animal Control confirmed the dogs were quarantined Monday at Galveston Animal Clinic, the report states. Animal Control officials are considering whether to declare the dogs dangerous. The owner would be required to ensure the dogs were prevented from escape, post warning signs, obtain at least $100,000 liability insurance coverage and muzzle the dogs when taking them out of their enclosure.
“Thank God somebody stopped,” Bob Wright said.
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| Bob Wright said these two dogs attacked his wife, Deanne. |
The Wrights wanted to thank Dulaney for his heroic actions.
“She was getting chewed on pretty good,” Dulaney said, noting he couldn’t ignore the attack.
“I bet I drive that road 10, 15 times a week,” Dulaney said. “I happened to be in the right place.”
(Galveston Daily - November 17, 2011)
