A 49-year-old woman was attacked by a pit bull Sunday as she walked on the White Pine Trail near Howard City.

According to Howard City Police Chief Steven DeWitt, the woman was walking her small dog on the trail near Federal Highway (Northland) and Almy Road in Reynolds Township, about 12:55 p.m. May 15, when a large pit bull ran across the adjacent highway and attacked her dog. The woman tried to protect her dog, and the pit bull then attacked her.

The woman had been dragged to her knees by the dog when residents outside at a nearby home heard her screams for help. Two men armed with shovels ran to help her and beat the dog off of her. The dog then ran away.

The victim suffered minor injuries to her left arm and sought treatment at a nearby hospital, where she began shots against rabies. Her dog also survived the attack.

The dog was located at a nearby home, and the Montcalm County Animal Control was called in to assist with the investigation. The dog appeared to be unlicensed, and no proof of rabies vaccination was provided.
The case is still under investigation.