PROGRESO – A Progreso woman is recovering after being attacked by a pack of dogs in her neighborhood.  

Resident San Juanita Nilo said her neighborhood is filled with dogs. She said the problem is many of their owners aren’t keeping them on leashes or behind fences.

Nilo said she decided to visit her son Thursday morning. When she began her short walk to his home, she said she was attacked by several dogs.

“Suddenly the dogs came out, the small dogs, that brown dog and another dog that bit my leg. I was here alone, and there was a black truck so I got on the tires,” she said. “I would try to get rocks to scare away the dogs. While I reached down to scare the black dog, the other one bit me from behind.”

Nilo’s calls to the police department reached their voicemail only. Her calls for help went unanswered.

“If they’re going to be forwarding people’s calls to voicemail why have people working there?” Benita Nilo, the woman's daughter, questioned.

Nilo feels it’s unfair she was left with hospital bills and the pain.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS reached out to the police department. 

“It’s a landline but it’s transferred over to a cell phone… So the officers actually carry that phone. It’s probably the wear and tear. It does freeze every once in a while, and the officers are not aware that the phone actually freezes,” Progreso Police Chief David Hernandez said.

Hernandez said the issue was mentioned to the city manager. He advised people to call 911 in case of an emergency. The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office will answer the calls.

Nilo said she’s tired of being ignored. She still wants the city to do something about the canine issue in her neighborhood. 

Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Chief Administrative Officer Eddie Olivarez said, by law, dog owners are responsible for keeping their dogs on leashes or behind fences.

He said if they fail to do so, they can land in legal trouble.

“In the event that an animal where to attack somebody or harm somebody that pet owner maybe held legally liable for any harm or injury that may be caused to a resident  of the community,” he said.

It’s unknown if the dogs that attacked the woman are strays or if they’re someone’s pet.