UPDATE: Young woman attacked by dog in serious condition

Tampa, Florida - A young woman's brave attempt to fight off a dog may have saved her life. Friday afternoon, Tampa police responded to a reported dog bite at 1511 East 27th Avenue. On scene fire crews found a house with a large wooden fence around the back yard. There was also a small house on the property, that’s where the victim was.

Also in the back yard was a Rottweiler, weighing about 90 pounds, running loose. Fire crews tried reaching over the fence with a pole to hook the dog’s collar to immobilize it, but they were unsuccessful. Fortunately, Hillsborough County Animal Services showed up very quickly and caught the dog. In the small house in the back yard rescuers found a 20 year old female with multiple serious bites on her legs and arms, she was treated on scene by paramedics and transported to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. Her injuries are very serious but do not appear life threatening.

Tampa Police and Animal Control Officers are investigating. It appears that Linda Dorsey and her daughter Shamika have been renting the small house for a few months. The dog belongs to the property owner and the man who lives in the main house, Robert B Garrett. Garrett was not at home when the dog attack occurred. The Dorsey’s were in their house and the dog was tied up to a chain that was tied to a tree.

Danielle J Nelson drove up to the front yard of the house to visit and go out with Shamika. In the car with Nelson was her one year old daughter. Public Safety officials never say the following, but this one time there is an exception to the rule. Fortunately Nelson left her daughter in the car alone when she went to go get Dorsey. Public safety officials never want a child left alone in a car, even for a minute, however in this case leaving the child in the car probably saved her life.

Nelson went up to the wood fence and looked over to see if the dog was chained up, it was. Nelson opened the gate and went into the back yard, heading towards the small house. The dog charged towards Nelson and the chain snapped. Nelson jumped up on and then inside a small plastic playhouse but the dog got to her latching onto her arm. She managed to break free and tried unsuccessfully to get back to the closed gate, the dog got her by the arm again. With the dog literally hanging on and biting her she finally made it to the front door of the small house.

Linda Dorsey opens the door of the small house just enough for Nelson to get in. Unfortunately, the dog still has Nelson by the arm so Dorsey slams the dogs head in the door, trapping him. Nelson cannot get away from the dog’s jaws so in a valiant effort to free herself, she bites the animal. The dog lets go, Nelson gets away and eventually Dorsey gets the door shut. Nelson, bleeding from several wounds on her arms and legs goes into the bathroom to await rescue crews.

Garrett has owned the dog about 2 years. At this time Animal Services states they have no record of any other complaints about the dog. Animal Services has taken custody of the dog and it is believed that Garrett will turn the dog over to them.