California officials have seized 16 large breed dogs that mauled a teenager out for a jog last month in California.
The animals attacked Tracy Hurtado, 17, as a pack along a dirt road in Newberry Springs, California reported ABC 7.
Hurtado, 17, was nearly killed during the terrifying July 17 incident, police said.
“I thought they ripped her arms off,” Maria Azpeitia, Tracy’s mom, told ABC 7. “That’s what it looked like.”
Neighbors heard Tracy’s screams for help and called 911 shortly before 7 a.m., authorities said.
The frantic mother ran to the scene, and didn’t recognize her daughter.
“She was so dirty, covered in dirt, so I couldn’t recognize my daughter. I recognized her bra, that’s what I recognized,” she told ABC 7. “I got close to her and [she asked me] ‘Mom, am I still pretty?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, you’re beautiful.’”
Tracy required more than 500 stitches to close all of the bites and lacerations to her body.
Cops are trying to determine if the dogs have owners or are abandoned pups that roam the desert as a pack.
Tracy was recently released from the hospital. She is still not able to walk on her own, according to reports.
“She was getting ready to do her senior year of high school this year,” reads a GoFundMe campaign launched to aid in her continuing recovery.
“Now, because of this, she has to stay home and go to several doctor’s appointments and rehab,” the page explains. “Due to the trauma, she cannot sleep at night; she’s having nightmares.”
More than $11,000 in donations have already been pledged.
The dogs believed to be involved in the attack are being kept at the Barstow Humane Society.
