COVINA >> A police officer rescued a 63-year-old woman as she was being attacked by three large German shepherd dogs in her front yard Wednesday morning.
A neighbor called police about 8:50 a.m. after seeing the three dogs attacking the woman in the fenced front yard of her home in the 1400 block of East Covina Hills Road, Covina police Lt. Tim Doonan said.
“An officer observed a female being attacked and bitten by three large dogs in the front yard of a residence,” Sgt. Gregg Peterson said in a written statement.
The officer approached the animals and began yelling in an effort to divert their attention from the victim, Doonan said. The dogs then began charging toward the officer.
“Fearing for his safety, the officer shot at the charging dogs with his department issued handgun,” Peterson said. “This caused the dogs to turn and run away from the officer and the victim and into a neighboring yard.”
The dogs were not struck by the gunfire, officials said.
The woman suffered puncture wounds and scrapes to her arms and legs, officials said. She was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and released later in the day.
Doonan said it was fortunate the officer was able to prevent more serious injuries.
“We’re happy that a neighbor heard her screaming, and they called, and we were able to respond quickly,” he said.
Officers found all three dogs in a nearby yard, Peterson said. Police kept them there and summoned County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control officials to take charge of the animals.
A “potentially dangerous dog” investigation has been initiated, said Danny Ubario, manager of the agency’s Baldwin Park office. Several citations and orders to correct violations were issued, however Ubario said he did not have further details.
In the meantime, the three German shepherds — a male, a female and their puppy — were being quarantined on the owner’s property.
Once the DACA investigation is complete, the owner of the dogs may face a hearing to determine what steps are necessary to correct the problem.