I Feel So Awful!

[shelly]

  I am always excited to see my class after coming back from a long vacation.  I had about 4 kids absent and just assumed they were sick or still on vacation.  The secretary called into my classroom and asked me to stop by before I left for the day.  When I did, I was told one of the most terrifying stories I think I ever heard..... One of the girls in my class was bit on her face by a friend's dog on Christmas Eve.  She had to have 95 stitches! The German Shepherd got a hold of her face and would NOT let go!  She has 35 stitches between her eyes, about 20 under each eye and more along her jawline.  Not that this should happen to ANY child, but she is just the most beautiful, petite, sweetest little girl!  One who you could picture as a cheerleader and Valedictorian of her class.  Her mom said she is in for more surgeries.  I can't even begin to imagine what this little girl and her parents went through that night!

    Unfortunately, the mom told me she later found out that this dog has bitten three times before.  I'm not sure what happened with the dog, but it surely has turned my stomach!

[F, Calla & Luca]

That is very sad. I cannot understand that this was not addressed before. The Board of Health in my town follows up on these cases. I just heard tonight about a dog who had bitten several times. I think the dog bit landscapers and workpeople on the property. The owner had to construct a special outdoor run to contain the dog etc. It was inspected and approved by the town. If the dog bites again it will be euthanized, as, unfortunately, it seems this dog should be.

[shelly]

I  too can NOT believe the town did not do anything prior.  I have never had such strong negative feelings about a dog before!

[Dori & Rua]

It is so hard to comprehend that anyone would allow a dog who has been before like that to be around children.  I will keep that girl in my thoughts and prayers. 

[M.C. O'Connor]

Agreed, Dori...

 

I just heard last night that my cousin's Puggle bit one of her 1 year-old triplets yesterday.  Apparently the baby tripped on a toy and fell on the sleeping dog and startled him and he snapped at her.  Now... if it were my house, I'd likely be thinking of looking for a new home for the dog already but it doesn't seem that my cousin will be doing so.  I can see that it was an accident but with triplets I think there'll be a lot more trouble down the road.

 

Very sad story, Shelly...  a dog that has a history of biting should NEVER be allowed to be near children.   

[Kyoko]

I feel so sorry for that little girl... :-(  She is going to need a lot of support.... I will be sending my prayer for her.

Kids in her class would need the preparation prior to her return as well..... I am sorry for everyone who was involved in this terrible accident....

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

This is my greatest fear about  dogs. I was once threatened by a beautiful shepherd when the owner left the room.  That dog went on alert and would not allow me to move.  I was terrified of this dog, however years later I never ever had any worry  with our old springer and our children or any children. I probably should have.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

The law here in San Diego is three bites...your out!  We have two Australian what evers across the street who have a miserable existence.  They are never out and when they are they are out of control and don't recall well.  They are always being yelled at and we never see them now that they are adults.  We hear them barking all the time.  Well, one of them has bit the men neighbors on each side of their house and also the pool man...that would be three!  But guess what?  No one ever goes any further than a phone call to the owner and a threat.  They never call and report the bite.  Our neighborhood has always been an older area and very few kids growing up here.  We now have three babies 2 1/2 down to 5 months on the block.  I really worry what might happen in a few years.  I have already had a run in with the neighbor because she was leaving her under 18 year old kids latch keyed and even went out of town for a week and left them alone.  Supposedly the father (divorced) was supposed to be keeping them at his house...NOT!  Well, there were parties with boys, booze, cars, noise for two weekend nights.  The entire neighborhood was graffitied and since nothing like that ever happens here, all fingers pointed to her kids and their friends who basically moved in the house for the entire weekend.  My DH and I made a comment to the daughter the next morning about how she was going to have a few questions to answer when her mother came home.  It went downhill from there.  The mother accused me of accosting her daugher, blah blah blah.  Once I told her that the lady down the street (who is a 7th grade teacher)  felt we should call Child Protective Services, she spun on her heels and went into her house.  She hasn't spoken to us since.  Between her kids and the dogs she is not a popular person on the street!  Rest assured, if I ever see those dogs out or hear of another bite from them it will be me picking up the phone and calling the police!

[Lynn D.]

Three bites seems like an awful lot to me!  :(

[Smita, Ollie and Juno]

Oh that poor child!! I feel for her and her family. I don't know how owners of such a dog would allow their dog around children. Hope the little girl recovers quickly.

[Adina P]

That is just horrible!  I can't even imagine what would require 95 stitches.  Poor child.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Not to minimize things at all but plastic surgeons, and that's who should have done this repair, use extremely fine and tiny stitches ti minimize scarring.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I feel so bad for this little girl and her family!