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.
If you decide to teach her to cart your kids around (once she’s old enough), here’s a website with great instructions for a few different harnesses: http://www.uberpest.com/harness.html
That is interesting. She needs to be trained mostly to not go into “squirrel” mode (if you have seen the movie Up— you will know what I mean) whenever she sees a bird, cat, or bunny. She thinks she’s a labrador, I guess.
It’s hard, but it CAN be done! If she gets really focused, you could try thwacking her (gently!) on the ribs with the doubled-up end of the leash; it makes a loud noise, and is a form of contact most dogs are not familiar with, but you can’t really hurt them with it; it’s usually enough to startle them out whatever obsessive zone they’ve gone into.
This story doesn't forward the case against pit bulls. on the contrary, it undermines legitmate concerns by attempting to evoke a viseral reaction instead of reasoned thought. Very poor form. Count me out.
98 percent of chihuahua or basset hound owners could be careless, silly, and irresponsible about their dogs, and only an idiot with no life would give a crap and try to put a stop to it. But evenm a measly two percent of pit bull owners who are equally careless, silly, and irresponsible, is enough to cause death and misery to innocent people, from little kids to old ladies.
Just because I don't like it doesn't alter the fact that it's true.
Yesterday she saw a cat just at the point that my 15 year old let go of her collar and ran out of the yard, as he ran after her. She jumped into the neighbor’s yard and my son yelled, “Hold!” She listened. When they came back in, I was torn between “bad dog” because she ran and “good dog” because she stopped on command.
I’m going to go with “Good dog!”. And a steak. That’s great recall!
Hey,Granny,,,
Warm and dry here so I’m tryin’ to mow the jungle before
it gets rained on,,,again,,,
Then it will be time to start over,,,
That little one will take a long time to heal up,,,
I guess there was no fence,,,
Somebody is gunna have a big bill to pay...
The breed is what calls the shots. A chihuahua or a basset hound treated exactly as badly as a pit bull taught to be aggressive would NEVER, could NEVER, pose even remotely the same danger as a pit bull or rottweiler or presa canario.
You already know that I am absolutely OPPOSED TO BREED BANNING. I agree one hundred percent that it would be a very wrong thing to do, and it disturbs me that so many -- including members of my own family who have ZERO tolerance for misbehaving dogs -- immediately think the "answer" is to ban pit bulls. It's not only NOT the answer, it's plain WRONG. There must be another solution, but that solution will never be found unless and until people start accepting the fact that yes, indeed, it IS about the breed.
An Australian shepherd is going to be a whole helluva lot better cow dog than an Irish Setter, even if the Irish Setter and the Australian Shepherd have exactly the same training from day one. A Jack Russell terrier is going to be a helluva lot better rat catcher in a barn than a Golden Retriver, even if the terrier and the retriever have exactly the same training from day one.
IT IS ALL AND ONLY ABOUT THE BREED.
Well said!
Welcome aboard!
Wrong.
The principles of responsible dog ownership apply equally to all breeds and types.
They are not breed specific.
The application can vary according to breed, but the principles, never.
Hi gg you mammy that boy to much,when he grows up he will have issues.;>)
Aren’t you the lady that got a new dog and wanted Easter Recipes....:>)
How did it turn out?
I have so many replies to that photo,not gonna go there..;>)
She’s gorgeous!
Never pull the trigger unless you fully intend to kill....
I have only a couple of guns, a new 20G and a Colt Cobra 38 special that I inherited when my dad passed away..The only thing I have killed with it is a coon. But sure hope I never have to point it at anyone, cause I fully intend to shoot for the largest body mass...it won't be a bluff...
Gee can't you take a joke from CM like you all like to make jokes about hippo's.. He does know how to push your buttons, and that's what makes it funny..
Mmm, carrots.
I don't understand the mentality of someone that can look at the face of that poor child and make jokes about hippo's...They have to have lost some important brain cells..
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