85-year-old woman still in critical condition days after dog attack
By ‘A’ali’i Dukelow
Click here for updates on this story
Puna, HI (KITV) — Hawai’i Island Police are investigating a dog attack in Puna over the weekend that injured three elderly people, all in their 80s.
“This is one of the worst dog bite cases that I’ve seen in 20 years,” Hawai’i Police Department Captain Scott Amaral said.
According to HPD, two men and one woman were attacked by two dogs on 12th Avenue in Hawaiian Paradise Park at around 5:43 p.m. Saturday.
The two men were treated for multiple bite wounds on their arms, neck, and ears, but have been released from Hilo Medical Center.
The 85-year-old woman was reported in critical condition as of Monday evening, after being “bitten about the head, neck, and arms, receiving multiple puncture wounds and lacerations,” Amaral added.
Both dogs involved are in police custody.
Jessica Tronoski with Hawaiian Humane Society said the best way to escape from a vicious dog is to remain calm, stop moving and keep your arms and hands close to your body.
“Quietly speak to the dog and if possible, place a barrier between you and the animal and slowly and quietly move away perhaps in a sideways position. That’s the best way so that you can keep an eye on the animal and still slowly move away,” Tronoski explained.
To prevent more attacks, Amaral is calling on dog owners to take preventative measures.
In Saturday’s incident, the property the dogs escaped from has a partially fenced yard, and it is unclear how they were able to escape, which is why Amaral cautions fencing sometimes is not enough to contain dogs.
“They can easily escape, going over the fence, digging underneath the fence, so the best way to contain them is to put them in a kennel when you’re not at home,” Amaral added.
HPD is still trying to piece together why the two dogs attacked the victims.
If you have any information on the incident or want to report an aggressive dog, you can contact HPD’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
