“ We were going for our usual walk as we do every afternoon after work. It’s usually getting dark by then so we just walk around the block. This time we went earlier. If I could go back in time I wouldn’t have gone on that bloody walk. We normally walk down Kyogle St, up Wilson, around the corner and along Casino St, along Crown St and back to Kyogle St. I’ve never run into a vicious dog ever except this time.
What happened was, we were probably 3 or 4 houses along Casino St and I could see a dog in the distance coming down the path beside someone on a bicycle. It didn’t look like it was on a lead so I thought we would get off the footpath to the side of the road. There was a tree blocking the view and suddenly it was right here, Boom, no hesitation, latched onto Taka’s mouth and neck. She had no chance and neither did I of stopping it. It was just awful! There it was latched in and she started screaming and I was screaming and we couldn’t get the thing off. It was one of the American Pitt bulls with it’s jaws locked on. There was no person with it.
All I can remember is a lot of hands helping to get it off. We were all in a state. There were 6 men and me. Little children who normally play on their little tricycles with their mums right there on that footpath were all behind the fences. I know these people and they know me and my dog from our regular walks. It took forever. People were coming with buckets of water and hoses and it still had her in it’s jaws. I was kicking and punching and I didn’t want to let her go as I didn’t want him to drag her off somewhere. He went in for the kill and he nearly killed her. One man managed to get it off her. He was bitten as I was. I didn’t realise it was biting me as it was just hanging on to Taka. Every time we tried to get it off his jaws would chomp in more.
Some people called it a dog fight. It wasn’t a dogfight. She had no chance. It was an attack and it was the fault of the human. I would never blame the dog but unfortunately in the end to keep the streets safe something may have to happen to that dog. I think it’s really sad and I can’t stand the fact that these dogs are bred to kill. I can’t stand the people that get them for that reason. If you are not going to contain your dog, why get a dog like that. It’s a minority of idiots that get these dogs.
Those wonderful men saved her. If I’d been on my own she would be gone. A woman hugged me, another woman behind the fence rang the vet. She’s bleeding, I’m bleeding and we ran. We ran home and we got in my car and went straight to the vet. All those people were awesome. They called council and tied the dog up.
I didn’t see this as I had to get Taka to the vets to be operated on immediately and I drove myself up to the hospital but the owner of the dog came past just after dark. He was walking past and said, ‘Oh that’s my dog’. The people told him what had happened and he threw his hands up in the air and said, ‘Oh thats the second time’ and told them his first name and address. Whether that was his true address we don’t know as yet. He then proceeded to tell them another story about how his dog latched on and ripped a skateboard out from under a young boy and wouldn’t let go. It’s just not acceptable. When the ranger came to see me, he was wondering whether it might be the same guy and dog where there was an incident outside the Norco cafe. We called the Police, they said they can’t do anything. I feel they should do something.. This guy took his dog and went. No sorry, no offer to help financially or otherwise..nothing!
The vet had to sew her mouth back together, tearing within 1mm of her jugular. They’ve had to put 3 drains right around her neck which came out each side so looked like 6 to drain fluid. I have to take her down daily to keep them clean to prevent infection. An oedema formed over her jugular so they couldn’t get in as it was too close to the vein. They are waiting for that swelling to go down. Hopefully she won’t need a second op but we don’t know yet. It was so very traumatic for her. Sh’e been so brave. She stands up on the table shaking and panting but she’s still so gentle and brave. We are both on antibiotics. It damaged my finger and my thumb, cracked the nail and through the back of the thumb. It also bit my wrist and damaged the radial nerve. Even its just bruised it can take 18 months to heal. It’s the weirdest sensation, numb and pain at the same time. I’ve missed work. So far the vet bill up to last Friday was $1300 and she may need another operation. I don’t care about that but what I do care about is that the owner didn’t care or offer to help.
The ranger is a lovely man and he will do the best he can. The Keen St Vets have been beautiful and I’m so thankful to all those Casino St people who put themselves in danger without hesitation to help us.
I will never forget what it looks like. It was squat and broad with a big head. I looked up American Pitt-bull and it was very much this dog.
Taka started off in life bad and I feel really sad this has happened to her at this age. She was tied up all day at a house down the road and Stan rescued her. That was 2009. Stan died from lung cancer and Jeff took her on. They were good men and did their best. Jeff died tragically so she had lost another person. He had always said ‘If anything happens to me will you take Taka?’ which I did.
You just don’t know what’s going to happen in life. I don’t know how I would be if she’d died. We’re traumatised enough as it is. I’m too scared to take her anywhere. I felt like I haven’t been able to protect my baby. I haven’t kept her safe. It was the most terrible feeling.”