MANOR, Texas — Two dogs attacked five people in the ShadowGlen neighborhood in Manor Thursday morning.
ShadowGlen resident Tamara Mimbela was one of the bite victims. She said she ran out of her house when she heard commotion outside.
“I see my husband has our dog on a leash and is walking him away, and then my mother-in-law has her little dog in her arms, and I see these two huskies just, like, circling,” Mimbela said.
Neighbors said the two dogs were huskies owned by another resident in the neighborhood. According to neighbors, the huskies are frequently seen off-leash.
The larger husky approached Mimbela. When she tried to grab the dog's collar to steer it away, that’s when it attacked.
"He freaked out and turned around and grabbed my forearm a couple of times, so I immediately let go of them,” Mimbela said.
Mimbela said the huskies followed her and her family and wouldn't stop circling their house. The owner of the huskies was not present when the attacks happened, but once deputies arrived, they were able to find the owner and they were able to contain their dogs.
The Travis County Sheriff's Office charged the owner with two citations and has opened a criminal investigation into the incident.
Mimbela and her husband also plan to press charges against the owner, but the physical damage is already done. She is left with some bite wounds that her doctor said will take a few weeks to heal and will turn into scars.
Mimbela's larger concern is the safety of dogs off-leash throughout her neighborhood.
"Seeing dogs just roaming around, it happens pretty frequently,” Mimbela said. “It's a pretty big problem."
Another neighbor said he deals with the same issues.
"I've been attacked by dog before, so that's why I'm scared. Because people just leave their dog, they'll say, 'It doesn't bite, doesn't bite,' until it bites you,” said the ShadowGlen neighbor, who did not wish to be identified.
Mimbela believes it might be a while until she feels comfortable walking her dogs alone in the neighborhood again.
“Seeing dogs that come out and that are aggressive, that makes me a lot more nervous,” Mimbela said. “I don't know if I would go by myself for a little while at least, at least 'til I know for sure that that dog is nowhere near.”
The Manor Police Department, Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) and animal control were also on the scene Thursday morning. ATCEMS transported one person in addition to Mimbela to St. David’s Round Rock with non-life threatening injuries.