An animal shelter worker in Los Angeles who has been with LA Animal Services for more than two decades said she never wants to return after she was viciously attacked by a dog.
From her hospital bed, Leslie Corea told NBC4 that while she continues to recover from the mauling, she’s already decided she does not want to return to the animal shelter following her experience.
“I’ve been surrounded by so many wonderful animals my whole life, so it’s really hard to say goodbye to that,” Corea said.
She recalled the attack took place a week ago at LA Animal Services’ Harbor shelter in San Pedro. As the kennel supervisor, Corea went to care for a dog named Brie.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
“She went immediately for my leg and started fighting me like crazy, and I’m screaming bloody murder,” she said. “She jumped up and grabbed my chest near my left breast.”
Corea shared that as she tried to shut the door and get to safety, the door didn’t completely shut and the dog charged her. The pooch then lunged toward the woman’s thigh.
“My thigh is half gone,” she said. “Like, the entire top of my thigh is gone from her just biting and biting and biting.”
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
The victim, who is a mother and grandmother, said she was losing a 7-minute fight for her life. Salvation came in the form of a brick that was within reach.
“I picked up the brick and started hitting the dog in the head,” Corea said. “I think two or three times, the dog let go.”
“The dog wanted to come after me again and I just held the brick up and started yelling at the dog, ‘Get away. Get away,’” she said. “I pulled my phone out of my pocket. I called 911.”
So far, Corea has undergone three surgeries for the injuries she sustained in the attack. She said she has one thing in particular she wants to share.
“The message here is the city of Los Angeles adopted no-kill way too soon,” Corea said. “I’ve been with the department 24 years and this is the worst it’s ever been. There are so many people that have been bit and mauled at the shelters and it needs to stop because we’re overcrowding and we’re not euthanizing the animals that need to be euthanized in a timely manner.”
It is unclear exactly how many staff members and volunteers have been bitten or attacked by animals at the LA Animal Services shelters.
It is unclear what prompted the dog to attack.
In a statement, the office of LA Mayor Karen Bass expressed her sympathy over the vicious attack.
"It’s absolutely tragic that an employee who has dedicated her life to caring for animals was severely injured," the statement read. "Over the past year, Mayor Bass has visited city shelters, met with the passionate and dedicated staff and volunteers of LAAS, and seen the conditions they work in and animals live in. We must do everything possible to protect the staff, volunteers and animals in our care."
