Wild dogs attacking neighbors and killing pets in Maricopa, Arizona

MARICOPA, AZ - When a pack of wild dogs attacked a man in Maricopa, he fought back with his handgun.

Shockingly, it wasn’t the first time Dennis Johnson had to fire his gun at vicious dogs in his neighborhood. The last time was a week ago when a group of the dogs surrounded him. Johnson was saved by his brave border collie, Baby.

"She jumped in the middle of all nine of them to save me," Johnson said.

Johnson said he owes his life to Baby. When the pit bull and Rottweiler mixes came at him, she bought him time to grab a gun inside his house.

"Then they all turned on me. So, I just started shooting. At the time I didn't have my pistol, I had my rifle, and I just started shooting. I killed one and injured two," Johnson said.

Baby was hurt badly while defending her owner.

"She's got 30 stitches, and lacerations,” Johnson said pointing out a large section of Baby’s back leg.

Over the past few years, Johnson has caught nearly 60 of the wild dogs, but lately they've gotten more aggressive. He and other neighbors say people are dumping the dogs off in their area in south Maricopa.

"The dogs are packing up and attacking all of our animals," Johnson said.

Johnson, like some of his neighbors carries a gun on his side whenever he goes out. Now he's worried about how he and his wife will pay for the expensive surgery Baby needs to live. Baby is trying to fight a serious infection spreading throughout her body.

"They said it's going to be between $5,000 and $8,000, and we just can't afford that."

County Animal Control has set traps to catch the wild dogs.

If you want to help Johnson and his dog Baby, you can contact him by email at lordfrogdaddy@yahoo.com.