Woman, Dog Hurt When Other Dogs Attack In Novato
NOVATO (BCN) - A woman and her dog were injured when two other dogs attacked them in unincorporated Novato Wednesday morning, 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 Labradors without leashes approached and began sniffing the dog, Harrington said.
At some point the Labradors 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 San Rafael Medical Center 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.
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