Neighbor hears woman’s cries as dog attacks, California reports say. ‘Stop, stop!’

A dog attacked a woman in the backyard of a home, severely injuring her, California officials told news outlets.

A neighbor’s 911 call alerted authorities to the attack at about 11:25 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, San Diego police told KGTV.

“So this morning I heard a noise.. I heard an ‘ahhh,’” neighbor Edy Aliangan told the station. “I went to the side of the house -- that’s when I saw the dog was viciously pulling on my neighbor’s arms so I started to scream and yell, ‘Stop, stop’ to the dog.”

The dog, owned by the woman, recently had a litter of puppies, the San Diego Humane Society said in an email to McClatchy News.

“It was just not forgiving,” Aliangan told KNSD. “The dog was mauling her.”

The attack inflicted severe injuries on the woman, the humane society said.

“It was very difficult to see what I saw, it was horrific,” Aliangan told KGTV.

The dog will serve a mandatory 10-day bite quarantine, the humane society said. The dog’s puppies have been placed in foster care.

In total, the woman had four adult dogs and nine puppies, the society said.

What to know about dog attacks

“Dog bites can cause pain, injury, and spread germs that cause infection,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. “Nearly 1 in 5 people bitten by a dog requires medical attention.”

Dogs bite more than 4.5 million people each year in the U.S., and nearly 800,000 of those people need medical attention, according to the CDC.

Any dog can bite if they feel scared or nervous, or if they want to be alone. You should never approach a dog that seems angry or scared, the CDC said.

If an unfamiliar dog comes up to you, officials say you should:

• Stay calm and be still.

• Avoid eye contact with the dog.

• Don’t panic or make loud noises. Don’t run.

• Say “no” or “go home” in a deep voice. Stand with the side of your body toward the dog.

• Slowly raise your hands to your neck and back away slowly.

This story was originally published February 24, 2025 at 2:11 PM with the headline "Neighbor hears woman’s cries as dog attacks, California reports say. ‘Stop, stop!’."