An Oregon 1-year-old is recovering after she was brutally attacked by two dogs that ran out of a neighbor’s home on Sunday afternoon.
Merissa Carron told KATU that she had just returned from church with her two daughters and let them carry their Happy Meals into their home when the dogs suddenly got loose.
“I was able to push my 3-year-old out of the way, and she ran up the stairs real quick. But they weren’t really aiming for me or my 3-year-old. They were just going for my baby,” she said. “I was trying my best to push the dog off, but I also dragged her away so they couldn’t get their jaws completely around her. It just… happened so fast!”
According to a GoFundMe set up for the family, “As of right now, she is doing well after her surgery and another surgery is being talked about.”
KATU reported that the toddler suffered a skull fracture, lost five inches of skin from the back of her head, and sustained additional bites near her eye, stomach and lower back. She has undergone multiple procedures and is being treated at Randall Children’s Hospital in Portland, where she is expected to need ongoing medical care.
Carron told the outlet that the dogs came from a neighbor’s unit and said both animals bolted out when the neighbor opened their door.
According to KATU, one of the dogs was surrendered and euthanized, while the case involving the second dog is still under review.
Carron said she had repeatedly raised concerns about at least one of the dogs before the attack.
“The final time I had reported, I had specifically told our apartment manager, I said, ‘This dog is going to get out, he’s going to either kill a child or he’s going to scar them for life,’” she recalled.
She added that a witness at the scene told her there had been earlier issues, though police told the outlet they have no prior reports on file.
Carron is also worried about the emotional impact on her older daughter. She told KATU that her 3-year-old, Kinsley May, will “have lasting impacts from the trauma.”
The GoFundMe created for the family has raised more than $5,000 to help cover the child’s medical needs and support her mother while she takes time away from work.
