California: Owner flees the scene after his Pit Bulls attack and maul Chihuahua mix to death

CALIFORNIA -- Animal control officers seized two Pit Bulls Thursday after a woman and her pet Chihuahua were attacked in San Francisco’s Crocker-Amazon neighborhood.

The victim, a 52-year-old woman, told police she was walking her dog Jowie, a Chihuahua mix, in the 600 block of Brunswick Street around 4:30 p.m. when two unleashed dogs ran toward her from across the street.

The woman picked Jowie (pronounced "Joey") up, but the two dogs knocked her to the ground and then attacked her Chihuahua.

The attack was so vicious that the victim was dragged across the pavement as she held on to Joey’s leash in an effort to protect him, police said.

The dogs killed the Chihuahua, and then ran away east on Lowell Street.

"PIT AND RUN" - OWNER FLED WITH PIT BULLS

A male subject who is thought to be the dogs’ owner left the area without providing contact information.

A bystander helped the victim take Jowie to a veterinary hospital on Mission Street.

Police released photos of the dogs Wednesday and asked anyone who recognizes them or knows their owner to contact them.

“The sudden and unprovoked attack on the victim and the fatal mauling of (Jowie) indicates that these dogs are a risk to public safety and must be seized pending a vicious and dangerous dog hearing,” police said in a statement.

The dogs were described as pit bulls or similar breeds. One of them was brown and white with a pink collar, weighing around 70 pounds. The second was brown, weighing around 80 pounds and wearing a gray collar.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call the 24-hour tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411, starting the message with “SFPD.” Calls can also be made to the SFPD Vicious and Dangerous Dog Unit at (415) 553-9182.

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(San Francisco CBS Local - Dec 7, 2017)