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A dog owner had to be airlifted to Harborview Medical Center after a dog she was training turned on her, according to the Island County sheriff's office.
Deputies on the afternoon of July 10 responded to the report in the area of Michael Way on Camano Island, where a 34-year-old woman was training a 4-year-old Šarplaninac-breed dog she had just gotten to help protect livestock.
Šarplaninac dogs often weigh from 65 to 100 pounds, with extraordinary strength and large teeth, making it a formidable adversary of predatory animals," according to the United Kennel Club.
The woman was holding a training session with the dog in a closed paddock, according to a Facebook post by the sheriff's office. At one point, the owner noticed that "the dog appeared 'off,'" so she extended her hand to let the dog smell her.
"The dog immediately latched onto her hand, pulled her to the ground, and nearly severed one of her fingers," according to the post. "The dog continued to bite the victim until she managed to escape the paddock with the help of another family member.
The woman also sustained bites to her shoulder, hip and legs, and she was ultimately airlifted, according to the sheriff's office.
After the incident, the dog was contained, and its owners decided to euthanize the animal, according to Island County Animal Control.
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