TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Tough is just a week away and multiple cyclists are sounding an alarm after they said they were brutally attacked by the same dogs in the span of a year.
It happened in front of a home near 56th Street North and Yale out in the street.
Corinna Tressler said she was enjoying a Memorial Day bike ride with friends. As they rode down the road near 56th Street North and Yale, she said she began to hear barking.
“I heard barking, dogs barking, and I’m a veterinarian, and I thought, oh well, that’s nice. All of a sudden, I look down and there’s a black dog lunging and grabbed my left leg. I blacked out and when I came back too, the black dog was on my left leg and the brown dog was on my right leg and they were biting, pulling, biting, pulling like I was a deer carcass, and they were trying to drag me back across the road,” said Tressler.
She said her friends tried desperately to get the dogs off of her.
“Finally, the owner heard the screams and, I guess, came out. He kept saying, 'Get back in the fence, get back in the fence, not leave it, oh no, get back, bad dogs,' none of that. The dogs were not listening to him, and then he finally came towards us. The dogs ran back towards the fence,” said Tressler.
She said she asked the owner of the dogs if they were vaccinated, and he said yes.
“Then him and his son started yelling at us saying it was our fault and all sorts of vulgar words and you cyclists always cause this and so anyway, I got back to my car and went to the emergency room,” said Tressler.
She has multiple injuries, including a broken clavicle, multiple dog bites on both legs, and the skin torn off her knee.
Tressler isn’t the only victim of the dogs.
2 News also spoke with a woman named Rebecca Reese.
She said she was cycling with her husband last August when the same two dogs came running out into the street towards her and began attacking her.
“With Carinna’s story recently, I’m just so scared. I feel like what’s going to have to happen at this point is are we going to have a child ride by there or their parent and kill the child. I feel like that’s where it’s headed because these dogs are bloodthirsty,” said Reese.
She said she has mild whiplash, bruising, multiple abrasions, and a dented helmet, not to mention the emotional toll the attack has taken on her.
Due to her injuries, Corinna will not be participating in this year’s Tulsa Tough race June 7-9.
Rebecca will be riding in this year’s race.
2 News contacted the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office to find out what was done about the dogs.
They gave 2 News this statement:
“When a dog bites someone, there is a specific process the owner must follow. The owner will be given a citation, as well as subject to legal obligations, which include ensuring the dog’s vaccinations are up to date and making sure the dog is restrained. The incident is a civil matter, and under Oklahoma law, dogs are considered property. Once the owner meets those requirements, their dogs are returned. The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office ensures all incidents are documented and appropriate measures are taken.”
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