Name: Sophia R
Victim: Child
Location: At a Friend’s house, Ohio
Year of attack: 2021

Tell us about the attack

I was walking up the stairs of a friend’s house and her pit bull mix was showing no signs of aggression or anger and was standing at the top of the stairs. The pit bull then suddenly jumped on me with his paws on my shoulders and his mouth was latched onto my lip and my friend and her mother had to pry the pit bull’s jaws open and pull him off me. My parents took me to the hospital where I had to get 14 stitches in my lip and wasn’t able to eat solid food for around a week and a half. The animal I was attacked by is a pit-bull and a Dogo-Argentino mix which were bred to hunt wild boar and cougars.

How has your life changed as a result of the attack?
As a result my self confidence has gone down a lot and my smile is now uneven. The corner of my mouth now has a bump of scar tissue that is very noticeable and my lip no longer lines up. I have been called names at school because of this like ‘Frankenstein’, ‘freak’, and ‘scar face’.

Legal Consequences
The owners of the pit bull were not fined and were only made to have the pit bull wear a muzzle when out in public and when people visit their house. We are going to court to get me compensation.

What would you like people to know as a result of your attack?
A dog can attack you at anytime whether it’s a pit bull or not, but pit bull attacks are more likely to occur and more dangerous when they do occur.