Woman in Cortland attacked by 3 dogs and in critical condition

CORTLAND, NY (WIVT/WBGH) — A Cortland woman has undergone multiple surgeries and is currently in critical condition after being brutally attacked by three dogs on Sunday, June 2.

Cortland Police, Cortland Fire Department and TLC Ambulance responded to 160 Main Street around 7 p.m. after two 911 callers reported a woman being attacked by dogs in an apartment. Police arrived first and found the 42-year-old woman in the process of being attacked and bitten.

Officers initially tried to use pepper spray to chase the three away, but that was unsuccessful. One officer shot the dog that police said was the most aggressive and took it to the kitchen, which stopped all three from biting them any further. Officers isolated the other two dogs in a bedroom.

When this happened, the woman had already sustained severe injuries to her head, chest, shoulder and arm. Officers applied tourniquets to both arms to stop the bleeding and applied hemostatic bandages to her shoulder and chest.

The woman was then taken to Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse for further treatment, where she underwent multiple surgeries. She is currently in critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit.

Officers took the three dogs involved in the attack to Country Acres in Homer, NY. The dog that was shot has died. The other two dogs are under quarantine.