Beth Fortner of Pasco County, Florida relies on her dog Tushcanay (Tush) for a lot of things. Beth suffers from ataxia (a condition that causes uncontrollable movements) so Tush helps her cross busy streets, get in and out of her wheelchair and get up the stairs. Beth rescued Tush as a stray puppy over 10 years ago when she lived in Kentucky. She had the husky/shepherd mix trained and considers her a service dog. "She's saved me so many times," says Beth.

So Beth thought nothing of her own safety when Tush was attacked by two roaming dogs last week, as the two were walking her neice to a school bus stop. The two dogs sprang from the bushes, charged at Tush and began viciously biting her. As the dogs tried to bite down onto her neck Beth flung herself out of her wheelchair and over her pet. She told her neice to run and get help. "The only thing I tried doing was getting between them and what they were doing; they were tearing her to shreds," describes Beth. Beth, who has trouble seeing, put her hands in the dogs' mouths to try and pry them off Tush. "They were killing her." Whether it was adrenalin or sheer force of will, Beth manage to fend off the dogs. But Tush's left front leg was nearly torn off and the dog was bleeding heavily.

Beth guided her pet to her house, staunched her wounds and called a neighbor for help getting Tush to a vet hospital. She and Tush were covered in bite marks. When neighbor Tabitha Starlin and her husband tried to help put Tush in the van, the dog refused. Only when Beth put her arm on Tush, and was guided by Tush to the car would Tush cooperate. Tabitha teared up when she witnessed it. "Yeah, I've never seen nothing like it in my life," said Tabitha. "Her first concern was to get Beth out of the house. She went down the ramp and put her in my van, and then Tush got in the van in the front seat."

Tush underwent emergency surgery at Bluepearl Animal Hospital to repair her fractured leg and Beth went to hospital and was treated for the deep bites to her hands and arms and legs. On Thursday, Tush remained in intensive care. The vet who treated Tush says it was fortunate that Beth intervened in the attack and had rushed Tush to medical care. He gave Tush a good prognosis. Also fortunate for Beth, Tush has had a flood of donations to to help cover the cost of the surgery and care.

As for the dogs that attacked, Beth is unsure of what happened to them and who owns them. Her first priority was to rescue Tush. As she cuddled with Tush at the hospital she was thankful her dog was still alive. As for her service days, says Beth, "She's retired. She can be an auntie or a grandma."

• rescue
• Service dog
• dog attack