On Feb. 22, after her kids left for school, Gyöngyi Maas was out for a run in her neighborhood in Auburn when two dogs attacked and nearly killed her. Now her family is asking for help with the medical bills.
Mike Maas, Gyöngyi’s husband, created a GoFundMe fundraiser with a goal of $6,850 to help cover the out-of-pocket costs of Maas’s medical bills and potential legal fees.
The attack occurred near a house on the 28800 block of 45th Place South, according to Auburn police. After a neighbor chased the dogs away and called for help, Maas was rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where the staff stabilized her, saving her life. The same day of the attack, she underwent surgery due to the severity of her injuries, according to the fundraiser’s page.
The attack was so vicious that Maas suffered several broken bones as well as nerve, muscle, ligament and tendon damage in her arms. She also suffered punctures and lacerations all over her body, according to the fundraiser’s page.
Maas, 38, is still in the hospital and is expected to need more surgeries as well as physical therapy to regain full control of her hands and legs.
“All Gyöngyi did was go for a run in her own neighborhood, and in a matter of mere minutes her entire world was shattered by a traumatic attack that nearly ended her life,” the fundraiser’s page said.
A King County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to the scene and shot and killed one of the dogs, according to the county. Later that day around 5 p.m., members of the Regional Animal Services of King County removed a different dog from the house.
The second dog was transported to the animal services shelter in Kent where it was to be quarantined for 10 days.
While the investigation is ongoing and no suspects have been arrested or charged, investigators are considering a state dangerous dog statute. No charges have been filed at this point in time, according to the county.
The RASKC has not received any complaints related to the two dogs in question, but the RASKC has received six complaints regarding other dogs at the same house since 2020.
In August 2021, two adult German shepherds and six puppies were removed from the house and not returned due to reports of the dogs being overly aggressive.
The owners of the dogs have been fined thousands of dollars over the past two years due to the dogs’ removal from the home, according to the county.
