Jaelynn Esteves Boyce, 8, got 14 stitches on her leg; it is now wrapped, and a bandage covers the bite on her back.
Boyce was at her cousin Aaliyah Durfee's home in Del Paso Heights on Thursday.
"We were playing with the dog and it bit me," Boyce recalled.
The Durfee family was fostering the dog, a pit bull mix, for a friend.
The little girls were home alone with when the dog snapped. The dog latched on to Boyce's leg while Durfee watched in horror.
"I was scared and sad," Durfee said.
Durfee tried to get the dog off of Boyce.
"My cousin was pulling the dog," Boyce explained. "And it wouldn't let go of my leg."
"And then he got a hold of her shirt," Durfee added. "And I told her to take off her shirt and she did."
Boyce eventually got free from the dog.
"I ran into a room," Boyce said. "Then I opened the window and pushed the screen and got out."
Boyce's mom believes their quick thinking may have saved her daughter's life.
"I'm just happy it wasn't worse than it is," Jenne Esteves said. "I am so proud of both of those guys. I don't even know if adults would be 'take your shirt off, run.'"
Boyce is on a lot of pain medication and doctors are ordering her to take the next week off from school.
As for the dog, Animal Control picked it up. Officials have to conduct an investigation to determine what will happen to the dog.
(KXTV - Sept 6, 2013)
