A young Highland Township girl was hospitalized after being bitten multiple times by the family’s two dogs.

Deputies with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Highland Township substation and the Highland Township Fire Department were called out to a home on North Hickory Ridge Road around 5:30pm Thursday. A report states a 7-year-old girl had opened the gate to a pen, two dogs exited and then immediately knocked her to the ground and began to attack and bite her. The victim’s 6-year-old brother witnessed the attack and went inside to get their mother, who ran to her daughter’s aid.

The Sheriff’s Office says the 34-year-old mother was able to get the dogs off of her daughter and back into the pen but sustained a deep bite wound to her right tricep and was rushed to an area hospital. The daughter sustained deep bite wounds to her neck and was experiencing difficulty breathing. Her coat was said to be shredded in the attack. The daughter was flown to the University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital for further evaluation and treatment. The Office said physicians determined that the child’s most severe injury was to her neck and trachea. She was last listed in critical but stable condition and is expected to recover.

The Office noted the dogs were being kept in a pen in an area outside of the residence, as the parents take in rescue dogs and have a total of seven, including the two dogs that they received from a Humane Society in Pennsylvania. Oakland County Animal Control took custody of one of the dogs, which is being examined to determine a breed, but the other dog escaped under the pen’s fence. Animal Control placed a dog trap on the property with the anticipation of catching the second dog, but it has not yet been recovered. Four of the other five dogs were signed over by the parents to Animal Control.

The incident remains under investigation and Sergeant Mark Venus tells WHMI the girl is doing better but is still in the hospital. He says the second dog has not been recovered yet and they are concerned about anyone who may come in contact with the dog. The description provided was the dog is grayish and has some husky traits. If anyone sees the dog, he says do not approach it but rather call OCSO dispatch at (248) 858-4950 to get a deputy or Animal Control to respond. (JM)