Three pet dogs attack CdA woman

A Coeur d’Alene woman is recovering in a hospital after a severe mauling by three of her dogs – Rottweiler-chow mixes she bought for protection.

Trudy Deon, 50, required “a mile of stitches,” her doctor said, to close wounds to her head, legs and arms inflicted by the three 100-pound dogs, who were euthanized Tuesday.

A fourth dog, chained at the time of the attack, was also killed.

“I just want them dead,” Deon told the Coeur d’Alene Press as she awaited skin grafs on both legs at the Kootenai Medical Center.

“I honestly want them dead. I don’t trust any of them now.”

Deon said she bought the three females – Tramp, Lady Bug and Chubbs – from a breeder in Montana three years ago.

When Tramp had puppies a year and a half ago, Deon kept a male she named Bear.

Deon, who lives alone and had the dogs for protection, said the attack occurred Saturday as she finished feeding the dogs.

“When I turned away, Bear nipped me on the arm, and it was a pretty good nip. I said, ‘Stop, Bear, you don’t need to do that.’ But he did it again. He grabbed my elbow and pulled me down to the ground.”

“He was chewing on the back of my head,” Deon said.

“I kept thinking, ‘I’ve got to get out of here or I’m going to die. Please, God, let me get out of here.’ “

Then the two other unchained dogs joined the attack.

“I got as far as the first gate and Bear tried to pull me back into the pen,” Deon said.

“They were all barking and growling and he was shaking my leg like I was a rag doll. I screamed, but when I realized it was only exciting them more, I calmed myself down. I tried to put my arms around his mouth and I said, ‘Please, Bear, let go of me, let go of Momma.’ “

She finally got away from Bear and managed to call a friend, who called emergency help.