A pregnant woman was rushed into induced labor after being viciously mauled by two dogs, suffering horrific injuries while trying to protect her tiny chihuahua.
Emergency crews responded to reports of two loose dogs in the 4000 block of Puget Sound Avenue in Tacoma at about 11:05 a.m. Thursday, where they found Renee Wilson injured after the attack.
She was taken to a local hospital in stable condition, then transferred to Tacoma General Hospital, where she remains recovering from her injuries and an infection, reported K5.
Wilson said she had been carrying her baby’s car seat to her vehicle when she heard barking and saw two dogs charging toward her chihuahua, Katie.
“They ran up and they tried to attack my chihuahua, so I jumped in front of her to stop them from attacking her,” Wilson told K5.
That’s when things took a turn for the worse.
“It kept latching back on to places after it would bite me, so it bit my arm, then jumped back up and attacked my belly,” she said.
Wilson said one of the dogs dragged her to the ground by her hair as the mauling continued.
“The dogs had been attacking me for at least a minute or two, while I was screaming for help,” she said.
Neighbors rushed to help after hearing her screams, including a man armed with a broom and a woman who stepped in despite being frightened of the dogs.
“I begged her for help. That’s when the dog had my belly in his mouth, and I was telling her I was pregnant. Please help. Don’t let him kill my baby,” Wilson said.
Doctors induced labor following the attack, and her son, Armani, was born unharmed.
Wilson spent the weekend with her newborn but remains hospitalized until she can walk again and is free of infection.
“Well, he’s only 4 days old, so I’m kind of lonely. I miss him,” she said. “I wish I was able to be with him. I wish he was able to be here.”
Police said the two dogs, an American pit bull terrier and an American bully, escaped through a broken fence board that their owners knew about.
The animals were secured at the scene and impounded by Tacoma Animal Control, where they are being held during a standard 10-day quarantine.
Animal control officers have since declared both dogs “dangerous” animals.
Their owners have 10 days to appeal the decision before a judge. If they do not successfully challenge the ruling, the dogs could be euthanized.
Police said the owners cooperated with officers at the scene. They’re also facing misdemeanor charges for failing to license the dogs and allowing them to run at large, totaling $2,000 in fines.
Wilson said she plans to file a civil lawsuit against the dogs’ owners.
An online fundraiser for Wilson noted she had been due to deliver her baby on the day of the attack before doctors induced labor.
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