An Iowa mother lost several limbs after she was visciously mauled by three pit bulls.
Neighbours first alerted authorities to a home in the city of Fort Dodge at around 11.25am on Friday after hearing a woman screaming.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found the three dogs attacking a woman who has since been identified by family members as Brittany Skoland. The officers initally tried to scare the dogs away and eventually shot at them, instantly killing them.
Ms Skoland is said to be in critical condition and will reportedly need facial reconstruction surgery in the future. The woman suffered severe head trauma, had both legs amputated to her knees and also lost parts of her hands.
She was first transported to the Unity Point Trinity Medical Center but was later airlifted to the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moine due to the severity of her injuries.
Neighbor Kerri Johnson told local news station KCC that he stepped out of his home after hearing the commontion, and witnessed Ms Skoland being carried to the ambulance on a stretcher.
“I had heard the gunshots. I came outside originally and I saw police with his gun drawn,” Mr Johnson told KCC. “He had said for me to go inside and I did, I did go inside, but after a couple of moments, my curiosity is piqued.”
“I stepped out into the driveway just to take a peek, I saw a black dog lying down on the ground, deceased, which is super sad.”
According to KCCI, another distraught neighbour at the scene said that the dogs belonged to them.
Ms Skoland has already undergone several surgeries.
Her loved ones have created a GoFundMe page to raise funds for her hospital bills.
More than $13,600 have been raised as of Saturday.
“Those who know Brittany, know she loves to be outside,doing yard work, helping her Mom decorate for the Holidays. She also enjoys playing outside with her younger children,” Ms Skoland’s aunt Teresa Hanus wrote in the description of the fundraiser.
