SAN ANTONIO — Elizabeth Reynolds was listening to music while walking along the sidewalk on Henderson Pass near Highway 281 when she said she encountered a pack of snarling dogs.
“They just started just biting on my legs, my hamstrings, my behind, and I was frantically just screaming and just trying to get away from them,” Reynolds said.
The incident happened at 1:27 p.m. on Wednesday outside the Gold Canyon neighborhood near the Northwoods Shopping Center.
Reynolds noted a bystander drove up and observed the attack, which ended up distracting the snarling dogs.
Animal Care Services confirmed the dogs’ owner is a homeless man.
Reynolds noted the owner eventually pulled on the dogs’ leashes.
“He got on his bike with them and left,” Reynolds said.
Elizabeth waited 30 minutes for first responders before making the executive decision to drive herself to the hospital instead.
“At that point, I couldn’t wait anymore so I just touched the back of my pants, and I was just seeping blood,” Reynolds said.
Elizabeth’s husband, Robert Reynolds, learned what happened and quickly took action with hopes of finding the dogs. He observed the homeless dog owner weave his way through a wooden fence located behind a shopping center off Henderson Pass.
Ring Doorbell video showed Reynolds holding a T-Ball bat with intentions to defend himself from at least two of the unleashed dogs seen in the middle of a residential area.
Community members assisted in alerting police about the incident, eventually leading to authorities tracking down the dogs and owner near an Office Depot.
Animal Care Services took possession of the dogs, which now remain in quarantine for at least another eight days.
“If they are healthy after that 10-day period, it is his animals, they are his property and they can reclaim them after that time frame,” said Lt. Bethany Snowden of Animal Care Services.
The dogs’ owner could be issued as many as 12 citations depending on the outcome of the investigation. Penalties may be handed down for the dog bites, lack of proper restraints of the dogs, absence of micro-chipped pets, and failure to keep up with vaccinations, including rabies.
The Reynolds stressed other neighbors have been attacked by the dogs in the past, but nothing has been done to hold the owner responsible.
Elizabeth fears the dogs will be back on the streets once the quarantine is up.
“I just want the city to do something about it and take care of it before somebody gets killed or badly hurt. It’s not fair for everybody else around. It’s not fair that I can’t go for a walk just down the street.”
Animal Care Services is partnering with Animal Defense League to provide free pet services for San Antonio residents on Saturday between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. at Palo Alto Terrace Park. Services are limited to 100 pets (three pets per household).