A 10-year-old underwent emergency surgery at UNMC Friday evening after the girl's family dog attacked her.
Omaha Police and Omaha Fire responded to the call around 5:45 p.m. at the girl's home near 48th St. and Laurel Ave.
"In 20 years of law enforcement, I've seen lots of stuff, this one was rather difficult to see her in the hospital like that. I haven't seen anything like that in my career," said OPD Lt. Jake Ritonya.
The girl suffered 'substantial injuries, mostly to her face,' according to police.
Ritonya told 3 News Now the girl was at her home with her siblings while her mother was at work.
"From what the officers kind of gathered inside there was a trash can knocked over and when they went to pick up the trash can, the dog came out of no where and attacked her, and continued to attack her," added Ritonya.
According to police, the dog attacked the girl for several minutes while a sibling ran across the street to neighbors to call 911. The dog didn't stop attacking until Omaha Fire paramedics showed up.
"The firefighter said that as they were taking her out of the house, the dog was still trying to come after her so, pretty heart wrenching," said Ritonya.
The girl was transported to the hospital Code 3. Police said she was conscious and talking in route to UNMC.
Two other dogs were reportedly inside of the home at the time of the assault, but only one attacked. The mother told police the attacking dog was the family's and had the dog since it was a puppy. The dog is about two years old.
"The family said they thought the dog had recently went into heat, and had been acting kind of strange lately," said Ritonya.
OPD put the dogs in cruisers while the Nebraska Humane Society arrived on scene.
NHS took the attacking dog and the two others that were in the home as a precaution. It's unclear what will happen to the dog or if there were be any charges of some sort.
