HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – Saturday was the first time Dreah Marie rode her bike through the MUD 155 Parks and Trails system in Northwest Harris County.
She chose the spot, she said, to be a little less congested.
But, what happened when she turned around on her bike to head back to her car is what made her decide she was not ready to return anytime soon.
“The dog came after me, barking very violently, and then that’s when he bit me on my leg,” Marie said.
She shared photos with KPRC 2 that show the injury.
Medics responded to the scene and emergency room doctors cleaned it up, giving her a round of antibiotics.
“As the days progressed, I was still having a lot of pain and stinging, and then a lot of swelling started to occur,” she said.
The pain became so bad it kept her up at night. She returned to the same doctor Friday for another round of heavy antibiotics.
But Marie said she was most appalled at how the man with the dog reacted.
“He just took off,” she said. “I was so shocked.”
Another biker helped her track him down as she called 911.
They were able to exchange information, and she said he told her he didn’t have the dog on a leash because the dog is too big and normally pulls him.
“That’s not a good reason for any of that,” she said.
While KPRC 2′s Bryce Newberry was interviewing Marie, the man walked through the park again, this time without the dog.
He wasn’t interested in sharing his side of the story on camera but told KPRC 2 it’s his daughter’s dog, and it’s currently quarantined.
The park has posted signs that clearly indicate dogs should be leashed, and Marie hopes to stress the importance.
“There’s a reason why that’s in place for both the dog and the people,” she said.
Marie reported the dog attack to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and she hopes investigators will follow up so the dog owners face consequences.
“Otherwise, we’re saying this is OK, and it’s not OK. This all could’ve been prevented,” she said.