My 8-year-old daughter was BIT by a dog!!!

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

I just need to vent. This actually happened last week when we were on vacation for 10 days camping but I just cannot let it go.

We were camping at East Harbor State Park on Lake Erie where we always camp. NEVER have we had a problem with people, other dogs, kids, anything. My daughters (8 & 11) were playing with a little girl they met at the playground at a campsite one row over from us. They were gone about 10 minutes and Ava (11) came screaming that Kelsey (8) got bit by a dog. I was in total shock and I started running down the road and Kelsey came riding her bike just hysterical.

My husband and I took her in the camper and her knee was just bleeding everywhere. My husband took care of her cleaning it out, looking to see if she needed stitches, etc. Lucky for me he is a policeman and is a trainer for first aid with the department so he handles that stuff way better than me. She had one puncture wound right on her knee cap - it wasn't big like the size of my pinky nail but it was deep and really bleeding. The rest of the area on her knee and above and below were just all scratched up and already really swelling. I thought it had scratched her with its nails but my husband pointed out it was the marks from its jaw and the top and bottom teeth (sent me into another level of hysteria over it picturing that!).

Next he told me to take Ava (11) and go find out what campsite it was while he was calling the ranger (who is a close friend of ours!). My husband said he was not going to the campsite because if he did he was going to shoot the dog and go to jail and I had ZERO doubt that he wouldn't do just that.

Ava said the parent of the little girl they were playing with wasn't the dog owner it was someone elses at the campsite. They had told them to make sure they went around the edge of the campsite so the dog wouldn't bother them. Ava said Kelsey did exactly what the people told them to BUT they had the dogs tie-out TO LONG and didn't realize it!! Kelsey was just leaving on her bike and Ava said the dog just jumped up and went right at her.

I got to the campsite a shaking, emotional mess trying not to cry and asked what happened. The owner of the dog was probably in her early 30's and was crying that she was sorry, she said it had all of its shots and she was sorry because THEY KNEW IT WAS MEAN and didn't realize the tieout was to long. That made me FURIOUS - why would you bring a dog that was MEAN to a campground with TONS of kids everywhere?! I said as much to her and then I left because I just couldn't talk to her anymore I was so upset.

The ranger (again our close friend) was at our campsite when I came back and he was clearly really upset about it to. He filed the report and contacted the Health Department and the dog warden. He said that they were required to provide proof of the dogs vaccines (which they did the day after it happened) to the park, the health dept and the dog warden. He wrote them a ticket for $250 for not controlling their dog and banned them from the park. He said that was the most he can do in a case like that and the extreme compared to what normally does when something like that happens but now that I think about it its not enough.

She didn't end up needing stitches and it has healed fine but she was in a lot of pain for about 3 days. Oh and the dog was some kind of dalmation mix - probably about 40lbs or so. I just can't get past it and wishes there was something else I could have done or said or I don't know. It was just a terrible experience.

[Carol and Banjo]

Denise -So sorry about what happened to your little girl! I do understand your feelings of anger and violation. It's unfortunate that other people don't take responsibility for their dogs - leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves. I would hope that campgrounds would screen out campers who's dogs were "problem" pets. I hope Kelsey gets beyond her fears soon. I'm sure continued exposure to nice, friendly pups will help lots!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I am so sorry - I can understand why that has you completely shaken. Your girls will lose the fear I am sure!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Denise, I'm so sorry this had to happen to Kelsey. I do think since she's young, with continued exposure to friendly dogs she'll eventually be okay. Let's just hope that this awful incident has frightened these dog owners enough to be much more careful in the future.

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

Thank you everyone!! This is really helping me :-) Kelsey is having a fear of dogs now :-( She refused to go to the dog park with us the other night - something she normally LOVES. She has been fine around the dogs that a few of our neighbors have and that didn't change but right now its with dogs that she doesn't know. The rest of the week camping to she would ride her bike or walk on the opposite side of the ride if someone with a dog was walking. That is the part that is really getting to me - that she has a fear now that she shouldn't because of their total irresponsibility.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

First of all, I'm so happy this wasn't a much worse situation and your daughter is ok. I really hope that this doesn't give her a fear of dogs. I hate to see kids that are afraid of dogs ...... as I wouldn't want to go through life without the love of a dog. Hugs and DKisses to you all.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

How awful! You need to let it go for Kelsey, although, like you I have a hard time not being beyond rational with someone who would even bring a mean dog along anywhere. Hope Kelsey gets lots of good therapy time with lovable dogs. She looks good in your picture.

[BG and Gavin]

I hope that Kelsey rebounds quickly from this - kids often do - it's us adult that take more time.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Our daughter was bitten by a Rottweiler at the park when she was around 8 years old too. My husband had taken her and our new puppy to our nearby playground and our daughter was reaching up to get on the monkey bars and this dog came out from under the slide. The owner claimed it had never done anything like that before and she had small children. All I know is that our daughter came home from the park with blood all down her arm and it was scary. She was actually calmer than I was. Anyway, she did not suffer any long term problems and LOVES dogs.

I do think, in our case, the dog owner was as shocked by her dog's behavior as we were. They apologized and followed up with the shot records. Hopefully, they stopped taking their dog to a kid's park. We never saw them again.

I am sorry your daughter had to go through this....it sounds like you guys did everything correctly and I don't think anything you said could have changed the situation. There was a report filed and now there is a record of that dog's behavior in case it ever happens again.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I am very sorry to hear about this traumatic event. I think you did all the right things and that there really is nothing more you could have done. The owners of the dog were definitely negligent. How could they not know where the tie out would allow the dog to be? If the dog was a known menace it should have never been in a situation such as it was.

[Anna and Achilles]

That is horrible! How is your daughter handling it emotionally? My first dog and I were out walking once and were attacked by a dog. It was very traumatic. She may be scared of other dogs for awhile. I couldn't take Houdini for walks after that for a good 3 month. Take good care!