INTERLACHEN, Fla. — A rural postal carrier remained at a trauma center in Gainesville on Monday after being attacked by five dogs after her vehicle broke down. It happened Sunday afternoon in the Interlachen Lake Estates area.
Deputies found the 61-year-old woman severely bleeding and five dogs nearby inside a fence at a residence in the 2000 block of Walker Drive, a Putnam County Sheriff's Office news release states.
Witnesses told deputies they heard a woman screaming for help and when they went outside they saw her on the ground with five dogs attacking, the news release states.
Several neighbors rushed to help by attempting to pull the dogs off of her and one neighbor shot a rifle into the ground to scare the animals, according to the news release. After deputies arrived, they started first aid and applied tourniquets until rescue units arrived.
The woman was taken to HCA Florida Putnam Hospital by ambulance and then flown by helicopter to a trauma center in Gainesville.
Animal Control arrived at scene and took custody of the five dogs identified by witnesses, the news release states. The sheriff said they're continuing to investigate.