Woman in serious condition after dog attack, neighbors step in to help
AUBURN, Wash. - An 38-year-old woman remains in serious condition at Harborview Medical Center following a dog attack in Auburn on Tuesday.
The attack happened around 11:20 a.m. on the 28800 block of 45th Place S. in a neighborhood across the street from Thomas Jefferson High School.
FOX 13 obtained Ring camera surveillance footage from a neighbor, that shows the attack. In the footage, you can see one dog dragging the woman down the street.
The footage is from Michelle Provan's home.
"I heard an awful scream that sounded like a female, and I looked out my window and saw two dogs on a girl," she said.
Provan can be heard on her Ring footage screaming at the dog, "get away from her! Get away from her!"
She says she grabbed a bat to try and get the dog off of the teenager. Provan says another neighbor used the bat to hit the dog, but the dog then attacked the neighbor.
King County officials say investigators arrived on scene and shot one of the dogs, and got a warrant to remove the other from the property.
She was taken to the hospital in critical condition on Tuesday, but was upgraded to serious condition on Wednesday, according to hospital officials.
Provan says the hardest part of this situation is it should never have happened.
"I am angry. I am so angry. I feel so bad for the girl. She didn't do anything, and I couldn't help her," she said.
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Provan and other neighbors told FOX 13 that the King County Sheriff's Office has been called to the home where the dogs lived on multiple occasions.
According to Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC), two dogs and six puppies were removed from the property in August 2021, due to aggressive behavior.
"This house has been a big nuisance to all neighbors in the area. It's known as a squatter house. It's been active for at least two years. It brings nothing but troubles to all the neighbors," neighbor Ray told FOX 13 News.
"Unfortunately, it's taken something this dramatic in order for them [King County] to want to do something about it," Ray said.
Sheriff's deputies have released minimal information on the incident.
The King County Prosecutor's Office said they anticipate having a felony case referred to them for the owners of the dogs. The office said it has not had any animal-related charges against the owner, but they have been charged with other crimes in the past.
Officials have also issued animal-related citations to the dog owners in the past, resulting in thousands in fines, officials with RASKC told FOX 13 News.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the woman's age as 38 years old. Officials previously said the woman's age was 18.
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