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Reporter:  Jessica Chapin

TUCSON (KGUN9- TV) - One Sierra Vista woman is still recovering from severe head wounds after a dog attack Wednesday morning.  Sandra Chapman was walking her Australian Sheperd when three neighborhood dogs, two boxer mixes and a pit bull, got out of their yard and attacked.

"How they got out I don't know, where they came from I don't know.  All I know is when I turned around they were on my dog," she said, recalling the incident, "I still had the leash and I wouldn't let go I kept kicking at the dogs and by that time they drug me down."

Chapman tried to protect her 5-year-old dog Raleigh from the others.

"This dog is my companion and I love him very much," she said, "I just couldn't think of them killing him."

Chapman had the dog's leash around her wrist, and was thrown to the ground.  Shortly after, one dog started biting her head.  Her memory from there is still fuzzy.

"I remember people around me," she said, "Somebody threw some water, it didn't phase them.  They were shouting at them but nothing happened."

That's when her neighbor James Corcoran heard the screams.

"Heard somebody scream get the dogs off her they're going to kill her.  That's when I turned around, ran back in the house, got my gun," he said, "I'm sorry I had to do it but it had to be done."

Corcoran shot two of the dogs, and they died on the scene.  The pit bull lived, but awaits his fate in quarentine at animal control.  In ten days, they will put him down. 

Margaret Montoya was responsible for all three dogs.  She has been charged with three counts of dogs at large and three counts for dog bites. 

Montoya says she's sorry about the whole incident and doesn't blame Corcoran for shooting the dogs, but it comes with mixed feelings.

"They were good dogs.  I never had an issue until then but now I don't know," she said, "I'll never have them again I'm too scared of them now."

As for Chapman, she's also apologetic, but thankful that she and her dog will be okay.

"I cried because I saw them laying there dead and I love animals," she said, "So I'm very very sorry that this had to happen to their dogs."

According to the Cochise County Sheriff's Office, Chapman received 45 staples in her head to close the wounds.  Her dog went through hours of veterinary treatment for dozens of puncture wounds.

Sierra Vista Animal Care and Control is taking care of the dog.  They are accepting donations to pay for treatment.  To contact Sierra Vista Animal Care and Control, click here.