According to an  official press release from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, a woman was seriously injured following a violent encounter with a dog on September 14. The woman was on Peaks Trail in unincorporated Summit County when a leashed canine attacked her as she passed.

Stated in the report, the dog lunged at the victim from behind, grabbing her right tricep and pulling her to the ground. At the time, the dog was being walked by a pet sitter with the actual owner of the canine unreachable. Following the attack, the pet sitter told the victim that she was removing the dog from the scene to immediately return. She did not return. The “pet sitter” was later identified as the owner’s girlfriend.

In aftermath of the incident, the owner was summonsed to court for “Failure to Prevent Hazard” and the victim was transported to Summit Medical Center for medical treatment. Tissue from the animal is being tested for rabies.

The breed of the dog has been determined to be Anatolian Shepherd. Anatolian Shepherds are known to be very independent dogs, originally bred to protect herds from predators like wolves. The breed is quite large, with males capable of reaching 150 pounds. While the American Kennel Club lists them as protective and territorial, they’re also known to be patient and very intelligent.

Peaks Trail is located between Breckenridge and Frisco with trailheads near each town. The main trailhead starts near Main Street in Frisco, close to Dillon Reservoir. It’s listed as 15.3 miles long, as an out-and-back, with big gains of 1,735 feet. Dogs are allowed on the trail.