Woman attacked by 2 dogs east of Bend; owner cited

A Bend woman walking her leashed dog east of town was attacked and injured by two dogs at loose Thursday morning until a passer-by intervened to halt the attack, Deschutes County Sheriff’s deputies said. The injured woman was taken to the hospital, and the owner of the other dogs was cited on six charges.

Deputies responded shortly after 10:30 a.m. to the reported dog attack on Groff Road, between Supreme Court and Bacchus Lane, sheriff’s Sgt. William Bailey said.

Investigators determined that Joy Stanovich-Brown of Bend was walking her leashed Dachshund/Chihuahua-mix dog, Rudy, on Groff Road when two other dogs, both boxers, living in the area escaped their fenced enclosure and went after Rudy, Bailey said. She told NewsChannel 21 she was going to get her mail at the time of the attack.

Stanovich-Brown picked up Rudy to prevent him from being attacked, which shifted the focus of the attack to her, according to Bailey.

Stanovich-Brown ended up on the ground, where the attack continued until another citizen drove up and saw what was happening. The citizen pulled up next to Stanovich-Brown and helped pull her and Rudy into a car, the sergeant said.

Stanovich-Brown was taken by Bend Fire Department ambulance to St. Charles Bend for treatment of several non-life threatening injuries, Bailey said. Her dog was also injured in the attack and required veterinary care. Stanovich-Brown and her husband said the passer-by’s actions saved her life.

The two dogs responsible for the attack were located, impounded and are being held at the Humane Society of Central Oregon, Bailey said. They were identified as a 7-year-old male boxer, Marshall, and a 1 1/2-year-old female boxer, Brandi.

Their owner, Jean A Straight of Bend, has been issued citations for two counts each of animal nuisance, animal at large and possession of an unlicensed dog.

For more information about animal control laws in Deschutes County, visit https://sheriff.deschutes.org/community/animal-control.