Woman Mauled by Dogs Remains Hospitalized

A neighbor who witnessed a weekend pit bull attack on a Huntington Beach woman said the animals were in such a frenzy that one of the dogs had no reaction when he struck it on the head with a clay flower pot.

Cyndy Nefroney, 53, remained hospitalized Monday with bites to her face, arms, legs and chest. She was knocked to the ground and attacked while trying to break up a fight between her pet boxer and two pit bulls owned by her son.

The pit bulls were killed: One was shot by a law enforcement officer acting in self-defense, the other was shot and injured when it tried to charge another officer, and was later euthanized, police said.

“I ran over there and got up on the fence and saw the whole thing,” said neighbor Mike Turner, 17, who said he tried to call out to one of the pit bulls--named Chopper--but the dog didn’t respond. “I yelled out their names and threw a clay flower pot, and it hit Chopper on the head, but it didn’t even faze her. She was just in attack mode.”

Nefroney was trying to stop the dog fight in her Mossford Drive backyard about 3:30 p.m. Sunday when one of the pit bulls turned on her, and the other pit bull joined in. Nefroney, who lost part of her right leg in a boating accident and walks with a cane, was quickly knocked down and was mauled for more than five minutes before police arrived, authorities said.

“What is tragic is that she tried to come to the aid of one of the animals, and in turn she is brutally attacked by another animal,” Huntington Beach Police Lt. Chuck Thomas said. “These pets ended up causing serious injury to a woman who cares a great deal about all animals.”

Officials say serious pit bull attacks occur about five times a year in Orange County, and finding homes for pit bulls is increasingly difficult as the public perceives the animals as vicious.

“They’re just sitting and sitting, in some cases, until they are euthanized,” said Barbara Morrison, public education officer for Orange County Animal Control.

Morrison said pit bulls can make good companions for some adults if they are trained properly.

“They’re just puppies, though, in need of proper training, like any dog.”

In the attack Sunday, the dogs also injured some neighbors identified as Nefroney’s nephew, Beau Charleton, 27, and niece, Nita Charleton, 30, who tried to help Nefroney. They were treated for minor cuts and bruises at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach and released.

Nefroney underwent surgery Sunday night at Western Medical Center-Santa Ana, police said. She was in stable condition Monday. Nefroney’s son, who left the dogs with his mother, could not be reached for comment Monday.