WEST LOCH, Hawaii (KHON2) — An ‘Ewa woman is speaking out after she was attacked by more than a dozen dogs while jogging on a trail near her home on Sunday.

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Cali Burcham said there is a trail behind her house that leads to Waipahu.

On Sunday morning she decided to go for a run, but took a different route and ran left instead of right.

About a mile down the road, near Pupuole Park and Waipahu Intermediate, she saw a homeless camp in the bushes and a large dog on the trail.

“I decided to turn around because I didn’t want to get into trouble with the animal,” Burcham said.

She pulled out her pepper spray because she had a bad feeling and started walking backwards.

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“After about 20 steps, 15 to 20 dogs came up from behind and started attacking me, ripping my leggings to shreds,” she said. “As soon as my pepper spray came out, my heart sank. I literally felt like this was my last moment.”

She threw the bottle at them and called 9-1-1.

Nearby residents came to her aid and when paramedics arrived, they gave her a tetanus shot.

“Police officers told me they had several reports of these crazy stray dogs attacking people and biting bikers here, and they told me to contact the animal control society because there was nothing they could do about it,” Burcham said.

However, the Hawaiian Humane Society said it would no longer intervene unless police asked them to do so.

“If the dog continues to behave aggressively or someone is injured, call the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) immediately at 911. Police are equipped to respond quickly to dangerous situations involving animals and will take appropriate action to protect public safety. The Hawaiian Humane Society can assist HPD upon request as they have experience dealing with animals, but this is at the discretion of the responding officers.“

When asked if the Humane Society had received a call from HPD regarding this incident, they said they had not.

“If I had known there were wild, crazy dogs there, I wouldn’t have gone there,” Burcham said.

HPD told KHON2 that they may contact animal control if the dogs pose an immediate threat and cannot be secured by their owners. People should run with a partner and a light baton or pepper spray and avoid areas where loose dogs are known to be.

“There are so many children there. I would never forgive myself for not saying anything if it happened to a child or an elderly person who was passing by,” she said. “If no one takes care of it, it will happen again.”

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KHON2 asked if HPD would consider asking the Humane Society for help in this area, but there was no response.

“And if you don’t respond to attacks, how are you going to respond to a death?” Burcham added.

She said she would never walk that path again.

“All of this could have been prevented, but right now the police are being very reactive and not proactive. Let’s step in and stop the situation before it gets worse,” Burcham said. “We shouldn’t wait to respond to a terrible situation that could occur. It should be over after the first time someone got hurt down there. I shouldn’t have been put in that situation in the first place.”

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The Hawaiian Humane Society urges the public to exercise caution when encountering dangerous dogs. If you find yourself in a situation where a dog poses an immediate threat to your safety or the safety of others, please take the following actions:

1. Stay calm: Avoid sudden movements, loud noises or direct eye contact as this could escalate the dog’s behavior.

2. Back away slowly: If possible, walk away from the dog slowly and calmly without turning your back. Do not run, as this can trigger a chase response.

3. Use barriers: If possible, place an object between you and the dog, such as a bicycle, backpack or jacket, to create a buffer.

4. Call for help: If the dog continues to behave aggressively or someone is injured, call the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) immediately at 911. Police are equipped to respond quickly to dangerous situations involving animals and will take appropriate action to protect public safety. The Hawaiian Humane Society can assist HPD upon request due to their experience dealing with animals, but this is at the discretion of the responding officers.

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