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5-year-old mauled by pit bull in Hurricane
KSL (Utah) ^

Posted on 04/21/2010 10:46:49 PM PDT by Chet 99

5-year-old mauled by pit bull in Hurricane

April 20, 2010

HURRICANE -- Many owners of American pit bull terriers say the dogs get a bad rap, that they can be as sweet as any other breed and can make great family pets. But if a pit bull attacks, one Utah mother says the results can be devastating.

A pit bull mauled Katie Weeks' 5-year-old daughter, Saleena Wickward, in Hurricane Monday night. The little girl is now recovering from reconstructive facial surgery.

"She's already asked her mom for a mirror, and we're waiting on that," Weeks says.

Right now, Saleena's face only resembles what she used to look like: swelling, stitches and staples consume her innocent face.

"I was so afraid to walk into that room and see my little girl because I just thought she would never look the same again," Weeks says.

But she says her daughter already looks better than she did right after the attack.

It happened Monday night in Hurricane around 5:30. Weeks says her daughter wandered to the next yard over to catch a caterpillar.

According to the dog owner, Saleena was throwing rocks at the pit bull. Then, it lunged at her face.

"The dog was on a chain, but he grabbed her and didn't let go," Weeks says.

The owner had to pry the jaws off of Saleena's head. Neighbors called 911.

Saleena stayed conscious while waiting for an ambulance.

"We got a towel and pushed the skin up against her, and just wrapped it around and held it there until 911 got there, and just rocked her and tried to comfort her the best we could," Weeks says.

At Dixie Regional Medical Center, the 5-year-old had six and a half hours of reconstructive surgery. Two plastic surgeons helped put Saleena's face back together.

Stitches go from the middle of her lip, to her nose and cheek, then around her ear. A plate and screw are stabilizing her fractured cheek.

Now, doctors and family members will have to wait to see if there's any nerve damage. In the meantime, weeks says her emotions are all over the place.

"Fear, hope, more prayers than I've ever said in my life," she says.

The dog owner didn't want to comment. Weeks doesn't place blame on the owner. She says the dog had played with her kids before.

Hurricane police say the pit bull is with animal control.


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: chet99; pitbull
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To: LongElegantLegs

I think that was a great thing to do.

Last year we took Djinni to PetCo and she got so excited about a bunch of adorable little sisters that she rubbed all over them like a cat and accidentally knocked the smallest girl into the Hamster supply display.

The girl fell down, all the hamster paraphernalia went with her and all she did was giggle.

I apologized to the PetCo employees, her mom and the little girl [who was still giggling, covered in hamster toys] and we tried to put the display back up.
[very unsuccessfully]

Djinni is still welcome there and gets the red carpet treatment *but* I don’t indulge her in her “cute little girls fetish” any more....at least not near the hamster aisle....:)


141 posted on 04/22/2010 10:10:35 AM PDT by Salamander (Hold onto to all your fears 'cuz when I get outta here....vengeance is mine, mine, mine!)
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To: Salamander

A really fun one!
That was a couple of years ago, before we figured out how to grow grass...


142 posted on 04/22/2010 10:24:30 AM PDT by LongElegantLegs ( I have nothing better to do than sit around all night watching a lunatic not turn into a werewolf.)
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To: cardboardcutout

Lose the tagline, FR is not about personal spats.


143 posted on 04/22/2010 10:27:08 AM PDT by Admin Moderator
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To: LongElegantLegs

“before we figured out how to grow grass...”

Congratulations are in order, then!

[have you figured out trees and shrubs, too?]......;-D


144 posted on 04/22/2010 10:27:08 AM PDT by Salamander (Hold onto to all your fears 'cuz when I get outta here....vengeance is mine, mine, mine!)
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To: Salamander

ahhh Photoshop aint it fun


145 posted on 04/22/2010 10:29:12 AM PDT by cardboardcutout (Pit Bull Bone to pick with Chet 99)
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To: LongElegantLegs

sure looks like fun though


146 posted on 04/22/2010 10:29:12 AM PDT by cardboardcutout (Pit Bull Bone to pick with Chet 99)
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To: cardboardcutout; Salamander
Welcome to your first "Chet Thread".

Here is you claim check.



Logic, Reason and Experience are rarely used here anyway.

We do have for you, however, a Happy Hippo Kiss, ready and waiting!


147 posted on 04/22/2010 10:29:36 AM PDT by shibumi (Pablo (the Wily One) signed up for the "Hippo Attack" ping list!)
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To: Salamander

No, but I understand there’s pecans involved somehow...


148 posted on 04/22/2010 10:30:36 AM PDT by LongElegantLegs ( I have nothing better to do than sit around all night watching a lunatic not turn into a werewolf.)
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To: cardboardcutout

Since we have a big SCA (medieval)event in a couple of weeks I took our Staffordshire (Molly Rose) for a walk around the neighborhood to get her used to walking like a lady with all the distractions around. A little chihuahua came running across the street toward us, as its owner yelled for it to come back. I am telling Molly to “Come along”, because....this is the funny part... I didn’t want the chihuahua to try to hurt us.


149 posted on 04/22/2010 10:30:41 AM PDT by HungarianGypsy
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To: cardboardcutout

Yes, that was an entertaining day! The aftermath, less so...


150 posted on 04/22/2010 10:33:25 AM PDT by LongElegantLegs ( I have nothing better to do than sit around all night watching a lunatic not turn into a werewolf.)
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To: Salamander

That IS a big dog!


151 posted on 04/22/2010 10:34:48 AM PDT by Eaker (Pablo is very wily)
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To: JoeProBono

Ahhh how cute! I have a couple little spoiled mutts that sleep with me- but they are still dogs!!


152 posted on 04/22/2010 10:34:51 AM PDT by Tammy8 (~Secure the border and deport all illegals- do it now! ~ Support our Troops!~)
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To: HungarianGypsy

If you back up, then skip a couple steps before the kick, you can get some real distance with a chihuahua...

(Kidding!)


153 posted on 04/22/2010 10:36:37 AM PDT by LongElegantLegs ( I have nothing better to do than sit around all night watching a lunatic not turn into a werewolf.)
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To: familyop

Seriously? You need to get out more.


154 posted on 04/22/2010 10:36:55 AM PDT by Tammy8 (~Secure the border and deport all illegals- do it now! ~ Support our Troops!~)
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To: Salamander
Djinni is still welcome there and gets the red carpet treatment *but* I don’t indulge her in her “cute little girls fetish” any more....at least not near the hamster aisle....:)

Is Djinni the one that imprinted on a little girl before she was abandoned? That's kind of sweet that she remembers...

155 posted on 04/22/2010 10:41:16 AM PDT by LongElegantLegs ( I have nothing better to do than sit around all night watching a lunatic not turn into a werewolf.)
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To: shibumi; Salamander; Chet 99

156 posted on 04/22/2010 10:46:47 AM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: LongElegantLegs

Here is a puzzle that I hope someone can help me out with. The day Molly showed up in our yard we walked the neighborhood looking for her previous owners. When we turned down one street, she suddenly cowered and refused to go any further. Even dragging her would not convince her to move. There is what looks like an oil stain on the sidewalk. It’s a sidewalk that is maybe 50 to 100 yards long. She will walk on the ends of it, if she can go across the street to get past it, but will not walk on that area for anything. She becomes paralyzed. Normally, I take her to the park or the city lake for walks, but when we walked the neighborhood today, I noticed she had the same reaction. I had to forceably grab her by the collar and pull her in the other direction, so she knew we were not going that way, after all. After which, she walked along just as she had before, with no hesitation. When I got home, I asked my son if she reacted this way when he walked her around the neighborhood. He said, she does. Again, only that spot. Our old dog never had any problem with that area.


157 posted on 04/22/2010 10:49:09 AM PDT by HungarianGypsy
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To: HungarianGypsy

Oh I believe it I have had more nasty Chihuahuas then anything else.

Oh and figured out the tag line thingy thanks....still figuring this all out.


158 posted on 04/22/2010 10:52:37 AM PDT by cardboardcutout
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To: HungarianGypsy
I have a Maltese boy who was born missing a leg and part of his tail, he is very beautiful anyway but he weighs about 4 pounds and is fearless and will bite any ones toes who he thinks will hurt his mommy. Not sure he understands the size problem.
159 posted on 04/22/2010 10:52:37 AM PDT by cardboardcutout
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To: HungarianGypsy

Hmm, that is strange! Some dogs have a thing about walking on strange textures. Maybe it just smells repulsive to her; it could be that someone once slathered her in oil to get rid of fleas. That’s enough to give a dog serious issues with car oil.


160 posted on 04/22/2010 10:58:37 AM PDT by LongElegantLegs ( I have nothing better to do than sit around all night watching a lunatic not turn into a werewolf.)
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