CALIFORNIA -- A 6-year-old Albany girl was sent to an Oakland hospital Thursday night after two off-leash dogs attacked her, causing a deep gash to her head and cuts on her calf, arms and buttocks, police said.
The girl was treated and released at Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland, police said.
The girl's family lives at University Village, the family housing unit for UC Berkeley students, on Jackson Street in Albany. The girl and her younger brother were in the community garden -- described by police as "practically in their own backyard" -- about 8 p.m. when the girl went to use a restroom at an adjacent soccer field.
"For some reason, the dogs went after the little girl," said UC Berkeley police Capt. Stephen Roderick.
The two children were not with their parents or other adults at the time.
Soccer players heard the girl scream, ran to her aid and pulled the dogs off her, police said. The players briefly detained the dog's owner, but he left while they were helping the girl and calling police, Roderick said.
Witnesses described the dogs as medium-sized, about 50 pounds, dark-colored and either pit bulls or pit bull mixes, Roderick said.
Police need the public's helping finding the dog's owner, who reportedly was walking the dogs off leash and put their leashes back on after the attack.
Witnesses told police the man gave his first name as Jason, but he did not give a last name. He is described as a white man in his 40s, about 5 feet 10 inches tall with a medium build and long brown hair.
The dogs need to be examined and tested for diseases and could be seized if they are found to be a danger to the public, police said.
Anyone with information should call UC Berkeley police at 510-642-6760.
(Mercury News - August 24, 2012)
