A woman from the Fifth Ward is in the hospital fighting for her life after being viciously mauled by a pack of dogs.
This type of attack has prompted BARC, the city’s animal shelter, to make changes in how it handles at-risk animals as they respond to an increase in calls.
The changes at the shelter took effect this past Saturday. The injured woman, identified as Anita Jackson, 47, is still in the ICU.
Jackson one of five people injured over the past two weeks in what BARC says were three different attacks.
Shaquella Bailey, the daughter of the victim, shared the severity of the attack on her mother.
“We’re talking about basically, her whole face was ripped off from her scalp to her face line, jaw, arms, stomach, back, legs,” Bailey described.
She added, “It just happened to be that somebody was passing by and found your mom in this ditch here... passing by while the dogs were attacking her.”
BARC spokesperson Cory Stottlemyer explained that those type of attacks have prompted them to try and improve shelter operations.
“We’re telling the public we’re making changes because we have to increase intake, and our officers are going to need to respond to all those calls,” Stottlemyer said.
Here’s a list of changes they believe will make the community safer.
BARC told KPRC 2 they have recovered two of the dogs responsible for the attack on Jackson, but two others remain on the loose.
Stottlemyer added that they had identified the owner of the dogs and plan to bring the case before a judge this Friday for a severe bodily injury hearing.