New Mexico: Woman attacked by pit bulls says neighbors saved her life

NEW MEXICO -- A vicious attack by two loose pit bulls in a northeast Albuquerque neighborhood left a woman and her dogs with gaping wounds. She tells KRQE News 13 it took a village to stop the horrific encounter.

The woman attacked said neighbors heard her cries for help and stepped in, and if it wasn’t for them she worries she might not be alive today.

At 6 a.m. every morning, Apollo and Zeus know it’s time for their walk.

“I had the boys in one hand and I locked the door,” said Jessica North.

 

But on a Tuesday two weeks ago, the trio had barely stepped out of the house when they were attacked by pit bulls and their nightmare began.

“The dogs pulled me down and I screamed for help,” said North.

 

Jessica North said she was knocked to the ground in her front yard and feared for her life.

“Just munching on me, literally all I saw was just blood everywhere,” said North. “I didn’t know if my dogs were going to die or if I was going to die.”

She said her dogs were also getting mauled on the front porch by a second pit bull.

A neighbor who saw the attack called Jessica North’s husband, Dennis North, who then rushed home from work.

“I didn’t even recognize Zeus, he looked like a dead dog,” he said.

Another neighbor fought off the dogs with shovels.

“Trying to get him off of me, skin was just getting pulled off of me,” said Jessica North.

The next door neighbors brought her into their house and put pressure on her nasty, gaping wounds.

“Instinct, instinct took over,” said the neighbors.

The trauma surgeon at UNM Hospital said the neighbor’s quick thinking might have saved her life.

“He said if it wasn’t for somebody putting pressure on my wounds, he doesn’t know how much blood I would have lost,” said Jessica North. “I can’t thank them enough for that.”

 

 

While North went to the hospital, another neighbor took Zeus and Apollo to the emergency vet and paid the $1,200 bill. The family has started a GoFundMe to repay their generous neighbors, and pay for medical and veterinary bills.

The owners of the pit bulls that attacked have surrendered the dogs to the city shelter. It’s now up to the city if the pit bulls will be euthanized. However, the Norths think the owners should be held accountable.


(KRQE - Dec 25, 2016)

Earlier:

• New Mexico: Woman and her two Spaniels attacked by two pit bulls