Phenix City victim of Monday dog attack still in Atlanta hospital

ALABAMA -- A 20-year-old woman reportedly attacked by dogs in Phenix City Monday is still in critical condition in an Atlanta-area hospital, Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said Friday.

“She lost a lot of blood as a result of the attack,” Jones said.

The Sheriff’s Office responded to a call Monday afternoon regarding a dog bite in the Heather Brooke neighborhood of Phenix City. Deputies arrived on scene and discovered the victim had suffered more serious injuries.

Prior to the attack, the victim was playing with four dogs and the dogs’ owner in the home’s backyard. When the victim knelt down to pick up an object, one of the dogs attacked her.

“She was going to dog sit, house sit for them while they were out of town. ... One of the dogs just basically went up and jumped on her,” Jones said, adding two other dogs joined in.

The owner was injured during an attempt to force the dogs off the victim, but was treated and released.

The three dogs that attacked the victim are pit bulls. The fourth, which was not involved in the attack, is of a different breed, Jones said. The dogs have been quarantined at a veterinary clinic in Opelika, as Alabama law requires a 10-day quarantine period after a canine attack. Records show the dogs’ vaccinations are current.

“At this point, we’re just finishing up the investigation,” Jones said.

No charges have been filed against the dogs’ owner. Once the investigation is complete, Jones said the information may go before a Lee County Grand Jury to determine if charges should be filed.

The Sheriff’s Office has received three complaints against the dogs, with the most recent filed in March 2013. All of the complaints dealt with the animals roaming at large. No reports of attacks have been filed.

“No one, at that time, in any of those three incidents, came forward to press charges,” Jones said.

WTVM interviewed several neighbors after the attack. Jodie Marshall said, "Even the animal control officer was frightened. They didn't know how they were going to get the dogs out, they were very aggressive."

David Witt said he was not too surprised. "I figured that sooner or later it was going to come down to that because these dogs had previously attacked other dogs in the neighborhood, and it was just a matter of time before they went after a human," Witt said.

(Opelika Auburn News - May 3, 2014)

Earlier:

• Woman nearly killed attempting to watch dogs for friend