All of this has happened before, and will happen again....

Yesterday morning I overheard some co-workers talking about another co-worker that I happened to know before I started working there.  She was actually on my interview panel (very objective, of course) and is one of the few people there who gives me the time of day.  Alycia recently got a new puppy (Reese) to be companion to one she got around seven months ago (Rudy).  Sunday she was walking Rudy down her block when a pit bull got out of its backyard and literally charged down the street intent on getting Rudy.  Alycia yanked up his leash and shielded him as best she could.  The pit bull got its teeth into Rudy but Alycia was able to keep him from being eaten.  For her efforts she was pretty well mauled by this dog, suffering severe bites to her left arm in a few places and wounds to her hands.  As bad as this was she was fortunate that a neighbor came out and yanked the dog off her.  The pit bull was taken for quarantine.  Rudy went to the vet and received several stitches and staples to his tummy area.

Alycia got a bunch of stitches and will know next week if her left hand suffered any real nerve damage. It's tough to tell right now if the numbness is only passing (let's hope!).

Her poor dad was on the cell phone with her when the attack started and heard her start screaming when the phone hit the ground and disconnected -- can you imagine having to hear any of that??  Her mom flew in from Seattle to be with her.

It's horrifying to me that this happened, but thank God she was able to save her little puppy.  Sadder is that she is an animal lover and it's likely the dog will be put down since the only other option is for the owner to acquire an expensive insurance policy.  It's not a given they will put it down since this is apparently the first "offense."  Much as I hate to say it, it's probably better to do it.  The dog escaped and went down the street just to get Rudy and would have killed Rudy for sure, and maybe Alycia, if the neighbor hadn't come to help.  This will happen again, if it could happen once.  It's crazy how these poor pit bulls have this thing in them that can be triggered but who knows what... She walked by there everyday with no fuss then BAM!

I bumped into Alycia and her mom at Target tonight, her first outing since it happened.  They were buying wound supplies. We don't even know each other that well but it just hurts my heart so much that this happened to anyone, but when it's someone you know and can see the bites... Just glad that in the end she and Rudy will be okay.  And a part of me is sorry for the dog, since I know it will probably be put down but for the best, I guess.