Earlene MacDonald was attacked by two boxers on this beach in Savage Harbour. (CBC)A P.E.I. woman is recovering after two dogs attacked her at the beach in Savage Harbour last week.
Earlene MacDonald was on the beach last Wednesday when a boxer jumped on her shoulder and a second boxer bit her on the leg.
"The blood was running down my leg quite a bit," MacDonald told CBC News on Wednesday.
"I was in shock, didn't know what to do. All I could think was, 'I have to get to the hospital'."
MacDonald returned to the public health clinic where she was treated this week to get her third rabies shot and will need to get two more.
She said the incident could have been worse, however, because her children were nearby at the time.
"It could've easily been one of them, and they could've been a lot more harmed than I was."
Dog owners from Ontario
It's illegal for dog owners to let dogs run loose on the beach. The RCMP was called in on this case, and the two dog owners involved were fined a total of $240.
The owners live in Ontario and have already returned home.
Reached by phone Wednesday, one of the owners told CBC News she was sorry for what happened and had given MacDonald $500 to cover medical expenses.
The woman said there had never been a problem with the two dogs on their own, but they weren't used to being together.
Dog trainer Duke Ferguson said that might have been what caused the dogs to attack.
"They kind of form power [in] numbers, like a pack," he said. "They have backup, so there will be more confidence, and they can actually feed off each other in the energy that they give off.
"So if a situation arises where they feel surprised — alerted — and they go forward, there's a higher risk or a greater chance for two dogs to attack than just one alone. That's for sure."
MacDonald said she hopes her case serves as a lesson to others.
"I just hope that dog owners know enough to keep their dogs on their leash when they're at the beach," she said.
Police said this was an isolated incident, and they are not investigating further. They said the public should keep in mind that dogs must be kept on leashes.
