Local woman says pit bulls attacked her dog

A Peachtree City woman says a pair of loose pit bulls attacked her, a neighbor, and her dog during a routine morning walk through her neighborhood.

Joan Christainsen was walking her terrier named Fairway along Tower Road on Sunday, Sept. 18, when she says the two dogs came through a fence at a neighbor's home.

"I saw a leg in one of those mouths and I thought, 'This is it he's going to die,'" said Christiansen, speaking about her dog.

She says her instincts kicked in as she thought of ways to protect her 10-year-old carin terrier.

"I knew they were going to kill him," she said," so I threw my body on him trying to protect him."

That's when she says the dogs got a hold of her, too, and started biting both of them until a neighbor heard their screams and intervened.

"When I got to her I kicked one dog off and I grabbed hold of the bigger one,” said Jimmy Corley. "I grabbed him by the throat with my left hand and he turned and grabbed me by the arm and started shaking."

Corley, 72, is on his second pacemaker but says he knew he had to help save his neighbor from being mauled.

"The adrenaline was going so much in me that that I wanted to help Joan and her dog," he said.

Corley was bit several times on his arm before he says the dog ran toward the backyard they came from.

Peachtree City police responded and tried looking for the pit bulls with Fayette County Animal Control, but had no luck. Authorities are investigating the dogs' owner.

Fairway needed several stitches and more than $2,000 in medical care. She has started a

to help cover his medical bills.

She says Fairway is recovering as much as possible.

“He doesn’t want to walk in the neighborhood and he hasn’t eaten,” she said.

Christiansen hopes the pit bulls are found. She also hopes other pit bull owners can keep their dogs secured or on a leash.

"If you have a pit bull you have to take all the precautions because they're big dogs," she said.

Cox Media Group