Central Valley SPCA plans to file charges with DA after rescuing mauled dog

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Central Valley SPCA is submitting charges to the district attorney's office after a pack of dogs mauled another dog in East-Central Fresno.

The dog's name is Sophia, and, by all accounts, she's doing okay despite a traumatic experience that resulted in her losing her leg over the weekend.

Sophia is at the SPCA while tending to her puppies just days after extensive surgery to amputate her left front leg. The pit bull mix lost her leg as a result of a vicious attack by neighborhood dogs Friday morning.

"This morning, she's doing great," Walter Salvari with the CCSPCA said. "She's feeding her puppies. She's doing her best making sure the puppies are cared for."

Salvari says the attack took place near the intersection of Maple and White Avenues. The hungry dogs started mauling Sophia's leg after it had gotten wedged in the backyard fence. When investigators arrived, Sophia's leg was gnawed down to the bone. That's when they noticed five neglected pit bull mixes that were severely malnourished.

"When we went on scene, the animals, the five other dogs from the property adjacent, they were malnourished," Salvari explained. "They were emaciated, in really bad condition, our investigator stepped in and took the animals. They surrendered the pets, and we could not rehabilitate them, so they had to be euthanized."

Sophia underwent a three-hour procedure at nearby Abby Pet Hospital to remove the leg. She is said to be doing just fine considering the attack and subsequent surgery.

"This situation here maybe could have been avoided if the owners of Sophia looked over the fence or maybe noticed these animals possibly barking all the time," Salvari said. "The condition of water, food, we could've stepped in to possibly take these animals away from that home."

While the situation could have been prevented. Officials say the outcome could've been much worse, and Sophia is now in the care of the CCSPCA.

"Sophia, putting her leg through that fence, and they were hungry, basically, cannibalized her leg," Salvari said. "It becomes one of those weird situations that hopefully doesn't happen again out here because it could've been a kid who put their hand over the fence."

The SPCA is seeking donations to help cover the cost of her surgery, future medications, and special food to help keep her and her four puppies alive.

You can donate by visiting their website or by calling 559-233-SPCA.