Woman, Dog Recovering After Attack by Two Dogs in Indian Valley
Good Samaritan credited for intervening and preventing worse injuries in Wednesday incident.
A woman and her dog were injured Wednesday when two other dogs attacked them in the rural Indian Valley area, but the attack could have been much worse if a good Samaritan did not intervene, the woman's husband said.
The attack was reported at about 7:30 a.m. near the intersection of Indian Valley and McClay roads, according to Carrie Harrington, spokeswoman for the Marin Humane Society.
The woman was walking her female Jack Russell terrier when two Chocolate Labrador retrievers without leashes approached and began sniffing the dog, Harrington said.
At some point the labs attacked the smaller dog, and when the woman tried to intervene, she was also bitten several times, Novato fire Capt. Bob Royer said.
The woman suffered "some pretty bad bites on her leg, a bite on her face, and a bite on her arm," said Tony Silva, her husband.
Silva said Mike Baccei, an employee with the North Marin Water District, is to thank for preventing worse injury or even death to the woman and dog.
Baccei was working nearby and saw the dogs attack. He came over and "had to physically kick them off my wife," Silva said.
"If he hadn't come along, they would've killed my wife," he said.
Silva's wife was taken to the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Rafael to be treated for her injuries. She has since been released and is recovering at home, he said.
The Jack Russell terrier was taken to the South Novato Animal Hospital to be treated for its injuries.
"The dog's recovering," Silva said. "It's kind of touch and go."
Marin County sheriff's deputies responding to the attack were able to capture the two labradors, Harrington said.
"They were in pursuit of them, and opened the door and the dogs hopped in the back of the car," she said.
The dogs were taken to the Marin Humane Society where they will be held for at least 10 days, Harrington said.
The owners of the labradors were identified and could face criminal charges "if the injured party goes that route" and files charges, Harrington said. She declined to give out any details about the owners except that they live nearby in Novato.
— Bay City News Service
Toni Shroyer
11:38 am on Saturday, December 18, 2010
Special thanks to Chris and Norma Perry for responding so quickly to the woman. Indian Valley has wonderful neighbors. Our hearts go out to the nice lady and her dog.
janna nikkola
9:13 pm on Sunday, December 19, 2010
I've seen too many stories of large dogs attacking and biting humans. The owners of the dogs always have lots of excuses for their dogs and claim "they would never hurt anyone", but they do. The US Post Office keeps statistics about their mail carriers being attacked and bitten by unleashed dogs when they try to deliver mail. When dogs attack like these two dogs attacking this woman, the victim should be able to charge the dog owners with assault. If people want to have dogs for pets, they have a responsibility to control their pets to make sure they don't harm anyone else. If they do bite, attack or harm someone, it's a case of assault and the owners should be held liable and made to pay hefty fines for keeping uncontrollable dogs. And pit bulls should be banned completely. They're responsible for most attacks and they're very dangerous animals.
L
10:51 am on Thursday, December 23, 2010
My heart goes out to the two victims of this attack. My son was knocked down and bitten repeatedly by a dog he was trying to pet years ago. He was only 9 at the time. But then, as in this report, the dog(s) responsible was not a pit bull. The dog that bit him was a Lab mix and the dogs in this report were also Labs. Do I think all Labs should therefore be banned? No. My sister has a yellow Lab that we all adore, even my son. We have several neighbors with Labs, is my son afraid of them? No. He, as most people should, looks at each dog as an individual regardless of breed. No one breed is a "dangerous one". Every dog needs to be trained, socialized and treated with respect. Just as every race of human being should be treated with respect. No one race, creed or color of human is "bad", nor is one breed, size or color of dog. Saying that one breed, any breed, is always dangerous is irresponsible and possibly just ignorant to the possibilities of love, joy and loyalty of an individual dog.
Denise Scoles Olson
1:06 pm on Thursday, December 23, 2010
THANKYOU L!
I was so upset to read jann's response that I just couldn't respond in the way that you did. You did a beautiful job and I agree 110%. Thanks again.
Sue
2:52 pm on Thursday, December 23, 2010
Thankfully someone was around to help this woman.
Janna-the dogs were Labs, why bring pit bulls into your story?
Renee Soda
4:30 pm on Thursday, December 23, 2010
Janna, this is the only article you will find regarding this story. If this WAS a pitbull it would be on every television and on the front page of every paper which is why you think pitbulls are responsible for more attacks. All breeds bite, even little ones.........all dogs can be dangerous when in the wrong hands..........get off the bandwagon and back off the pitbulls. PLEASE