Posted at: 08/24/2011 6:28 PM
Updated at: 08/24/2011 6:39 PM
By: Beth Wurtmann

Schenectady dog attack victim describes the terrifying encounter

SCHENECTADY - Shirleen Lucas described a pit bull attack that left her with nearly 200 stitches, parts of her ears chewed off and hair ripped out of her scalp.

"They was barking and snarling and everything. Terrible, nice and loud. And I was just screaming and hollering," she said, speaking to NewsChannel 13 from her hospital bed at Albany Medical Center.

It happened at 3:30 in the morning Monday as she was walking home on Hulett Street, when three pit bulls somehow got out of a gate, and chased Shirleen into a yard across the street, pinning her down and mauling her. Neighbor Emilia Falcon saw the whole thing but was afraid to help.

"The dog was dragging her by the head, I mean they all had a piece of her. One was at the head, one was at the arm the other one was up on her shoulder. I mean, they went really really furious at this lady," Falcon said.

Pieces of Shirleen's hair and blue sweater still lay in the grass, where police officers had to taser the most aggressive dog to get it off her. Police said the owner then came out and called the other two pit bulls away, which angered Shirleen.

"I think she should be punished. I think she should go to jail and they dogs should be put to sleep," Shirleen said.

What bothers her the most is her damaged ears, which Shirleen hopes a plastic surgeon can somehow repair.

"I got to see a plastic surgeon for my ears. They said they would be okay, they'll try their best to get em back together to get them as normal as they possibly can," she said.

The dog's owner, 21-year-old Jasmine Tirado, wasn't home Wednesday, to answer our questions. She was issued an appearance ticket for having an unlicensed dog and for harboring dangerous dogs.

Schenectady police said two of the animals were euthanized, and a third is being detained at a shelter for rabies observation, and will be put down after ten days.