Woman Narrowly Survives Dog Attack While Gardening in Her Yard, After Undergoing 7.5-Hour Surgery and 2-Pint Blood Transfusion

“It was the most gruesome thing I’ve ever seen,” her son says after the Detroit woman was attacked in her yard

NEED TO KNOW

• A 68-year-old Detroit woman was severely injured in a dog attack while gardening, requiring a 7.5-hour surgery and a blood transfusion
• She suffered injuries to her arms, neck and face and lost two pints of blood, her family said
• As she recovers, her son says she faces mounting medical and housing challenges, with a GoFundMe launched to support her care

A 68-year-old Detroit woman is recovering after a violent dog attack in her own yard left her with severe injuries and in need of extensive medical care, according to her family.

Rita Emery was gardening outside her home on March 29 around 8 p.m. when she was attacked by pit bulls, according to a GoFundMe campaign organized by her son, Sean Emery.

The attack left her with serious injuries to her arms, neck and face, and she lost two pints of blood, her family said. She was taken to the hospital, where she underwent a 7.5-hour surgery and now faces a long recovery.

In an interview with WDIV Local 4, Sean described the moment he learned of the attack and the severity of his mother’s condition.

Sean said the dogs knocked his mother to the ground and continued attacking her as a passerby, who heard her cries from about a block away, rushed over on a bicycle to help. He described the man as a “guardian angel” for intervening.

After the dogs released her, Emery managed to make her way back toward her home, where her son was inside, WDIV reported.

“It was the most gruesome thing I’ve ever seen,” Sean told the news outlet. “The dogs had stripped her naked and blood from head to toe.”

The attack comes amid what local reports describe as several recent dog maulings in the area.

“If you have a dangerous dog, then please, keep it contained because the consequences can reach beyond your home,” Sean said.

Beyond her medical recovery, Emery now faces additional challenges. According to the GoFundMe, she lives on a fixed income and is dealing with urgent issues at home, including a broken main drain causing backups and the need for repairs to avoid potential city penalties tied to a blighted property on her land.

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Funds raised through the campaign are intended to help cover her daily living expenses, medical recovery and necessary home repairs, her son said, adding that he is currently unemployed as he works to care for her.

PEOPLE has reached out to the Detroit Police Department for additional information.