A 56-year-old healthcare worker has been upgraded from critical condition to fair after being mauled by a group of dogs on Wednesday morning.
Police said Lynne Denning, 56, of Canterbury, was viciously attacked by two to four dogs at 379 Putnam Road, in the Wauregan Village, of Plainfield at 11 a.m. as she was caring for an elderly patient.
Denning was then rushed to William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich to be treated for wounds to her face, chest, arms and legs, then immediately transferred to Hartford Hospital.
A man and the woman who owns the dog were able to secure the animals so medical personnel could treat Denning, police said.
Five Rottweilers and a Labrador were in the Putnam Road home at the time of the attack and are being quarantined at the Plainfield Animal Shelter, where they will remain for the next 14 days, pending an investigation.
"I was just in shock. I think all of us were in shock for a very long time," said Brittany Allen, who owns one of the Rottweilers.Her older sister owns the other four.
Allen said her family can't explain why their dogs attacked a Denning.
"There was (sic) only two upstairs with [Denning] when she was caring for my grandmother. She was playing with the dogs, and it happened very suddenly. It was very quick," said Allen.
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What the animals did is completely out of character, said Allen, who described the pets as friendly show dogs.
However, not all the neighbors agree.
"They say they're show dogs, but they are very aggressive as far as I'm concerned," Vincent Longo, a neighbor, said.
The Rottweilers occasionally get loose and have attacked animals, accordingto to Longo, who said they one time went after his own dog.
"They attacked him, and we had to take him to the vet and stitch him up," Longo said.
In September, neighbors called police after hearing screaming outside, they said.
"We've been there when [the Allen's] dog attacked another dog, but it's not a consistent problem that we are going out there to. According to the owner, they're not that vicious, but clearly they were today," Plainfield Police Captain Mario Arriaga said.
Allen said the victim has been caring for her grandmother at the home for several months has not had issues with the dogs in the past.
The family is hopeful Denning makes a full recovery.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Lynne," said Allen. There's no excuse for what happened here today."
No charges have been filed.
The Plainfield Police Department and the Plainfield Animal Control are investigating.
