SILVER SPRING, Md. — A dog mauled a dog sitter on Thursday in a small home that was home to 11 total dogs. By the end, the victim had severe injuries all over her body, and the attacking pet lay dead from a police gunshot.
The home, on the 4300 block of Garrett Park Road in the Kensington neighborhood, has been condemned.
The pet sitter, a 54-year-old woman who had been dog-sitting for a relative, called 911 while the attack was in progress.
Neighbors heard screaming, and so did police, once they arrived.
“When the officers went to remove the dog from the victim, the officers were themselves charged at by the dog,” says Nicole Gamard, a spokeswoman with the Montgomery County Police Department.
One officer fired a single shot, which killed the dog. It was a terrier mix, weighing about 40 pounds, police said.
It is unclear what set off the attacking dog.
The victim has severe injuries to her head, face, chest and arms. Her injuries, however, are not considered life threatening.
By early afternoon on Thursday, the remaining 10 dogs had been taken away from the home by the Animal Services Division.
A notice on the front door identified the home as being condemned as unfit for habitation. The posting cited “extreme unsanitary conditions and hoarding.” The homeowner was away and unavailable for comment.
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