HOUSTON, TX – A 76-year-old woman narrowly escaped a tragic fate when her neighbor’s dog attacked her in her front yard, an incident partially captured on camera. The woman, Yvonne Randall, found herself under siege by a dog living just across the street, leading to a night spent in the hospital. The aggressive canine was only apprehended after local news reporters began investigating the incident, resulting in the dog being quarantined.
The attack unfolded on South Bridge Road as Randall approached her home on Wednesday. The footage shows two excited dogs, one of which suddenly lunged at Randall once she was out of the camera’s view. In a desperate attempt to defend herself, she tried to grab a brick or any object from her flower bed, but the dog knocked her down before she could act.
Randall described the harrowing moments as the black and white dog began gnawing on her chin, seemingly aiming for her throat. “I thought it was going to kill me,” she recounted, recalling the dog’s relentless assault, which resulted in a broken thumb as she tried to shield herself.
Her screams for help were heard by her son, who rushed from next door, and the dog’s owners, who dashed across the street to intervene. One owner even lost a shoe in the frantic rescue effort. Randall was left visibly shaken, struggling to breathe and speak in the aftermath.
The police cited the dog’s owners, who claimed the animal had escaped from their backyard. This incident comes just days after another tragic dog attack in northeast Houston, where a 65-year-old woman was killed by three dogs that broke through a fence into her yard.
Randall’s son expressed his relief that he was nearby to help, pondering the grim possibilities had he not been there. Despite the attack, the dog’s owners initially took the dog back home, sparking controversy over the handling of the situation.
The Houston Police Department (HPD) maintained that they notified the Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care (BARC) of the attack, although BARC claimed they were unaware until prompted by media inquiries. The sequence of events culminated with BARC officers confronting the dog’s owner, who eventually surrendered the animal after a tense exchange.
As the neighborhood grapples with the incident, a call for responsible pet ownership echoes throughout the community. Residents are urged to secure their pets with leashes to prevent future attacks and ensure the safety of everyone in the area.