San Diego

Two pit bull dogs and a red Doberman attacked two animal control officers and their vehicles in Southeast San Diego on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

An animal control paramedic was responding to a reported biting in the 4600 block of Hilltop Drive at 1:35 p.m. when the dogs attacked him, said Sally Hazzard, director of the County Department of Animal Control.

The paramedic sought refuge in his vehicle and radioed for help. One of the dogs bit a front tire, lacerating and flattening it.

When a second animal control officer arrived, he used a catch-pull, a lasso-like device on a pole, to secure the Doberman. As he struggled with the Doberman through a window, the pit bulls jumped at him and shattered the window. The officer received facial cuts, Hazzard said.

Police officers responded to a call for assistance at 2:20 p.m. A third animal control officer arrived on the scene and used a tranquilizer gun on the dogs.

Hazzard said the dogs were taken to a shelter and that efforts are under way to determine whether they had ever been declared vicious and who their owners are.