A terrified schoolgirl suffered horrific injuries after being savaged by a huge dog - in a canine training class. Annabell Rowdon, eight, was 'mauled like a rag doll' by the large Anatolian Shepherd which attacked her out of the blue and pulled her to the ground.
The animal ripped the flesh from her left forearm breaking both bones before it was pulled off by her horrified grandfather Steven Rowdon, 63, and a dog trainer. She was rushed to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambs, where she underwent five hours of surgery for the broken bones and nine nasty cuts.
Her mum Sonia Rowden, 34, has described the attack as 'unacceptable' and says once they identify the owner of the dog, she'll be taking legal action against them. Cambridge Police are currently investigating the incident on June 11 at 10am.
Sonia, from Haverhill, Suffolk, said: "If it had grabbed her face, or heaven forbid her stomach and caught her internal organs, this could have been an entirely different situation.” Sonia was about to leave for a hen party when she received a call that Annabell had been attacked.
Annabell had spent the weekend with her grandfather Steven. That morning she accompanied him to a training course for reactive dogs at a playing field in Horseheath, south of Cambridge.
It was there a large dog, believed to be an Anatolian Shepherd, had a “little go” at his German Shepherd before the owners moved their dogs away from each other. But a few minutes later, the other dog pulled away from its owner, and pounced on helpless Annabell who was standing just meters away.
Steven said: “We were given instructions that the dogs were to be kept on the lead at all times, and under strict control. When it attacked, it bypassed my dog, me, another dog and its owner and made a beeline straight for my granddaughter.
“It was only for a second or two, but it shook her like a ragdoll.” Steven and the trainer leading the class leapt into action, and managed to force the dog to let go of Annabell.
She was rushed to Addenbrookes Hospital, where she required five hours of surgery the next day. X-rays showed both bones in Annabell’s forearm were broken, and she suffered nine deep cuts.
Annabell is now recovering at home, but may require further surgery. She has been left shaken by the attack and her family are furious that the dog was allowed to become so out of control.
Sonia, the owner of two huskies herself, said: “We are proper dog owners. We’re not naïve. We know they can be powerful animals, so we make sure we have the support we need to control our dogs.”
Steven agreed, adding: "You hear about a child being killed by a dog, but the other children that get maimed and mutilated by these things, you very rarely hear about. People need to be made aware.”
A Cambridgeshire Police spokesperson, said: “We were called at about 10.20am on Sunday, 11 June, with reports a girl had been bitten by a dog in Linton Road, Horseheath. The eight-year-old girl was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
“A crime has been raised for allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.”
