Sacramento County animal control officers are putting extra patrols into the area around Tempo Park, along the Citrus Heights-Orangevale border, looking for a stray dog that mauled a woman and her much smaller dog about 7:15 p.m. June 16.
The incident occurred near the park swimming pool, said Deborah Craig-Janelli, 53. She was sitting on the lawn with Sweetpea, her Pomeranian, when a much larger dog came at them. Craig-Janelli said she threw herself on top of Sweetpea and tried to shield her from the aggressive stray.
If the dog is not found, Craig-Janelli and her doctor will have to decide if she should have vaccinations to safeguard against rabies, said Oscar Villalobos, senior animal control officer with the Sacramento County Department of Animal Care and Regulation.
Lifeguards and bystanders rushed to assist Craig-Janelli. By then the larger dog had Sweetpea in its jaws.
"So many people were on him, trying to beat him and kick him, that he finally decided to drop my dog and run," Craig-Janelli said.
She suffered a broken finger as well as numerous puncture wounds and lacerations. But she was more concerned about her pet and got a ride to a veterinarian before paramedics arrived on the scene.
The four-pound Pomeranian's main injury was a broken leg, but she is expected to recover, Craig-Janelli said.
She subsequently told the Sacramento County officials that the attacking dog was a pit bull. Her description of the animal suggests that it also may be an English bull terrier.
The 60-pound stray is described as black and white with a white face. It has a cone-shaped head and pointed muzzle.
It appeared to be well cared for and well fed.
It was wearing a wide leather or mesh collar with what appeared to be dog tags, Craig-Janelli said.
"We've been out there every single day, looking for it," Villalobos said.
If the dog ran back to a nearby house, the street patrols are pretty much like "looking for a needle in a haystack," Villalobos said.
Tempo Park is a fairly large park between Sunrise Boulevard and Fair Oaks Boulevard with the main entrance off Fair Oaks, south of Woodmore Oaks Drive. The pool area is on the west side of the park, close to Larwin Drive and Smoke Tree Court.
Marty Buell, recreation services manager, said his pool manager, Kimberly Daurie, and three lifeguards, Eric Rimbey, Will Fox and Sara Greene, responded to the victim's screams and came out of the pool area to confront the attacking dog clad only in their swimming togs and T-shirts.
"These are young people about 16 to 23 years old. They saw the seriousness of the situation and did what they could to help," Buell said. "We are very proud of them."
None of the pool personnel were injured.
Call The Bee's David Richie, (916) 608-7455.
