Thankful to be Alive
Dana Austin, girls’ coach at Spring Garden High School, was jogging down Cherokee County Road 175 when five dogs attacked her. They started nipping at her feet and ankles, but when they broke skin and got the scent of blood, Austin was suddenly in a fight for her life.

Austin spent two days at Jacksonville Medical Center and faces more surgery this week. The five dogs are currently in quarantine at a vets’ office through the middle of October.

Austin was a stellar basketball player at Spring Garden High School and later at Jacksonville State University along with her twin sister, Jana. Dana and Jana later coached at Jacksonville State. Jana is still a coach there, but Dana left to return to her high school alma mater to coach along side her husband, Ricky Austin.

“I’ve had dogs run at me before, but I can usually scare them away by clapping my hands or something. It just didn’t work this time.”

See story at The Jacksonville News's website: www.jaxnews.com .

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