A nine-year-old girl is recovering at a Winnipeg hospital after she was attacked by three dogs in Thompson earlier this month.

The Mounties received a report around 5:10 p.m. on Feb. 1 that large dogs were chasing kids on Baffin Crescent in Thompson. Officers were unable to locate the dogs, but after speaking with residents learned that a child had been attacked and taken to hospital with serious injuries, according to an RCMP news release.

Investigators determined the girl was walking by herself to a friend's home when three dogs jumped on her and knocked her to the ground. The dogs were biting at her and ripping her jacket.

Passers-by were able to drag the child away from the dogs and get her to her family, who rushed her to hospital, the release says.

The girl suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries to her leg, and was transported to hospital in Winnipeg for surgery.

The owner of two of the dogs, a neighbour of the victim, was taking care of the third dog at the time.

The dogs — two Belgian Malinois and a German shepherd — were seized and following a hearing it was determined they would be put down.

The owner, 31, who co-operated with police, has been charged with criminal negligence and is barred from owning animals in Thompson in the future.