A 75-year-old woman has lost a leg and may lose an arm as a result of being attacked by two pit bulls in her backyard in Paradise Hills on Saturday morning, according to the victim's husband.
The woman, Emako Mendoza, was attacked at her home in the 5800 block of Alleghany around 6:30 a.m. as she went outside to get a newspaper, said San Diego Police Officer Frank Cali.
Mendoza sustained several lacerations to her body and injuries to her arms and legs in the attack, said Cali.
James Mendoza, 78, the victim's husband of 53 years, said his wife also suffered a heart attack and other bites on her body as a result of the pit bull attack.
"I got up and walked outside and they had already attacked my wife," said Mendoza. "She was laying there bleeding."
"She's not doing too good," Mendoza told The San Diego Union-Tribune last night. He told the newspaper that her condition was "very critical."
The victim was taken to Scripps Mercy Hospital, according to officials with the San Diego Fire Department.
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The Mendoza’s home shares a side fence with the home where the pit bulls were kept. The dogs, which belonged to the victim's neighbor, entered the yard through a hole in the fence, Cali said.
Neighbor Alba Cornelio surrendered the dogs to the county Animal Control officers, and they were euthanized, police said.
The couple has lived in the home for 42 years, and their neighbor had been raising pit bulls for about 10 years, Mendoza said. He said the dogs made a racket had not caused problems until now.
Mendoza’s husband said he knew the dogs were dangerous and had been told by the neighbors that they had gotten rid of the dogs three weeks ago. He went on to say that planned on filing a lawsuit against the dog owners.
County Animal Control is investigating the attack and said the dog owners could face felony charges.
