'Her ears are gone': Elderly woman permanently disfigured after dog attack

TACOMA, Wash. (KCPQ) -- An 83-year-old woman is permanently disfigured after two dogs attacked her near her home in Tacoma.

The woman, who asked not to be identified, has severe injuries to her face, neck and head. Her daughter told Q13 she has more than 20 staples in her head -- and both of her ears will have to be reconstructed.

"It was pretty bad. Her ears are gone," her daughter said. "It was shocking, but most of her head had been covered so you don't see the initial harshness of it. She's got numerous bites and cuts on her head."

The woman said her neighbor's grandson owns two pit bulls. The dogs escaped from a backyard and attacked her while she was walking off Thompson Avenue Monday afternoon.

Her daughter said she'll be released from the hospital sometime this week, but she's worried her mother won't be as independent as she once was.

Tacoma Police have been looking for the dogs and their owner since the attack happened. Police said he fled the neighborhood with the dogs Monday night, and no one has seen him since.