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POSTED: 10:43 pm PDT April 13, 2011
UPDATED: 8:41 am PDT April 14, 2011

WOODBURN, Ore. -- A 7-year-old Woodburn girl is recovering after a dog bit her several times in the head, police say.

It happened in Woodburn on Tuesday afternoon and the dog responsible has not been found.

Noelia Duran says her daughter, Tatyana, was in the backyard of her friend’s home and, according to Woodburn police, the neighbor's dog was chained up in the same yard where Tatyana was playing.

They say Tatyana tripped over the dog's chain and yanked the dog, which then turned on the girl, biting her repeatedly on the head.

“My daughter was like, 'Mommy, it just kept going and going at me and I couldn’t get away. Until I did, I just ran and ran inside,'” Duran says.

Tatyana was taken to a Salem hospital, where police say she was treated for several dog bites.

According to the dog’s owner, it ran away during the commotion -- putting some in the neighborhood on edge.

The owners of the dog didn’t want to talk on camera, but say they are deeply saddened by what happened and say they don’t know how to express how sorry they are.

“It’s been hard, but I have a lot of support and a lot of my family has been over to help me through this. What can we really do except stay strong for her?” Duran says.

The Marion County Animal Control Office is still looking for the dog which is described as a pit bull and lab mix. It’s black in color and has some white fur on its chest.

It was last seen wearing a blue collar.

At this time, no criminal charges have been filed.

In the meantime, Tatyana is expected to be OK but she will have a long recovery.