VALLEJO — A 47-year-old mother and her 3-year-old son suffered major injuries Friday afternoon when they were mauled by a group of pit bull terriers they were looking after, authorities said.

Officers were called to the 500 block of Locust Drive about 5:30 p.m. for a report of a woman and a child being attacked by three dogs in a backyard, according to a news release from the Vallejo Police Department.

Officers used pepper spray and had to physically separate the dogs from the woman and child, police said. Medical personnel treated the victims at the scene and rushed them to an area trauma center.

The child was treated for multiple dog bites “to his face, upper torso, and extremities,” and was listed in stable condition, police wrote in an email to this news organization. The woman was bitten in her head and arms, and was also listed in stable condition, police said.

The three dogs were taken by Solano County Animal Control, and were placed in a routine 10-day quarantine so that they can be observed for signs of rabies, said Animal Control Officer Stephanie Wheeler.

Wheeler added that the primary owner of the dogs was still being sought Saturday morning. Vallejo police said Saturday the dogs belonged to a relative of the victims who recently moved into the home within the past two weeks.

Once contacted, Wheeler said the owner will be presented with options including surrendering the dogs to Animal Control, or taking them under strict conditions in accordance with the city’s municipal code for owning dangerous dogs.

The owner could also dispute the designation of the animals as dangerous, Wheeler said.

She added that if the owner decides to surrender them, after the 10-day quarantine ends the dogs would be entered into the county animal shelter system.