SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Amber King is still dealing with the physical and emotional aftermath of a violent dog attack in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, saying the experience left her with nightmares and lasting pain. Nearly two weeks after the mauling, she said she keeps replaying the moment in her mind and is still trying to process what happened.

King said the attack lasted long enough for her to fear for her life before police arrived. She said she fought to protect herself while a pit bull pinned her down, and that the memory of the dog’s biting and the blood around her has stayed with her. After multiple surgeries and a hospital stay, she is now beginning the slow work of healing.

King describes the attack as she begins to regain movement

King said the assault was both physically brutal and deeply traumatic. She said she could hear people nearby reacting as she tried to survive, and that the sounds and images from that day continue to haunt her. Sleep has been difficult, and she said the attack has left her with repeated nightmares.

Her injuries were severe enough to require multiple surgeries and a week in the hospital. King said her left hand is especially damaged, with nerves and bones affected, and that she is only now starting to regain some movement in her fingers. Even small signs of progress, she said, take effort and patience.

She described her recovery as a series of tiny steps. Her right hand is beginning to move more, but she said the progress is not easy and the damage remains significant. For now, every bit of movement feels like a hard-won milestone.

A favor meant to help quickly turned into a terrifying struggle

King said the attack happened after someone she barely knew asked her to watch his dog while he was moving. She said she was waiting for city housing in the Tenderloin and was trying to help, calling it a simple act of kindness that turned life-altering in seconds.

According to King, she tied the dog to a post, and soon after, it broke free and charged at her. She said she was left fighting for her life for 10 to 15 minutes before officers got there. During that time, she yelled for help and tried to keep herself alive by using her arms to shield her body.

King said she does not know exactly how the dog got loose, and she is still trying to understand how a moment of assistance became such a dangerous encounter. The experience has left her not only injured, but also shaken by how quickly a routine favor turned into a violent emergency.

King says an unnamed bystander stepped in when she needed help most

Amid the chaos, King said she is especially thankful for a bystander identified only as Ashley, who helped during the attack. She said Ashley’s presence meant a great deal to her in the middle of the ordeal, when she was frightened and badly hurt.

The two later spoke by phone, and King used the call to thank her directly. Ashley told her she was glad to see she was okay, and King responded with gratitude for the help she received in those terrifying moments. For King, that interaction has become one of the most meaningful parts of the story.

She said she wants Ashley to know how much that assistance mattered. In a moment defined by pain and fear, King found comfort in the fact that someone stopped to help, and that kindness still stands out as she tries to move forward.

Hospital care, surgery and a fundraiser are helping support the next phase

King said the care she received at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital helped save her life. She spoke with gratitude about the treatment she got there and credited the medical team with giving her a chance to begin recovering from injuries that could easily have been fatal.

Because the road ahead is expected to be long, a friend has started a GoFundMe campaign to help with the costs of recovery. King said she still hopes the experience will eventually lead to something more stable, including housing, and that life may become a little easier after such a frightening ordeal.

For now, she is focused on healing and trying to remain thankful that she survived. King said she is glad to be alive, even as she continues to face the physical work of recovery and the emotional weight of what happened.

Police say no one has been held accountable yet

The San Francisco Police Department said no one has been held accountable for the attack. Investigators have not said whether they have identified the dog’s owner, leaving key questions about responsibility unanswered.

King said she wants the owner to come forward. As she continues to recover, the lack of clarity around who was responsible adds another layer of frustration to a case that has already changed her life in a major way.

Her story has also renewed attention on dog safety in the city, especially after the attack in the Tenderloin. For King, though, the focus remains much more personal: getting stronger, regaining movement and holding on to the support she has received.

Real, uplifting stories from across America – GCHS Eagle's Eye.