Name: Shelly Corneu
Victim: Adult
Location: My backyard, New York
Year of attack: 2021

Tell us about the attack

I was going to get something in the back shed. The pit bull and my husband were on the porch sleeping. I was nowhere near them. The pit bull galloped off the porch and knocked me down from behind and latched onto my leg, ripping a hole down to the muscle. My husband grabbed the pit bull off me and lifted me in his arms. The pit bull ran back, jumped, and bit my head and tried to pull me from my husband. My husband dropped me to get the pit bull. I was trying to get away but the pit bull was coming back at me. I went behind the in-ground pool fence and the pit bull stopped, turned and went and sat down by his zipline. I was wearing fluorescent yellow shorts. I found out later that’s the color they use to train fighter pit bulls.

How has your life changed as a result of the attack?
I had a hole in my leg about 8 inches down to the muscle. I had a skin graft after wearing a wound vac for 1 month. I have anxiety, and extreme pain from knee to neck.  I have nerve damage and ligament tendon damage. I am scared and cry all the time. I can’t do half the things I used to do.

Legal Consequences
I bought the pit bull from a rescue less then three months before the attack. I was told the pit bull had been raised in a trailer with 7 kids, and was very good up until something triggered it. I now believe, however, that the shelter withheld information from me because the pit bulls had a lot of scars and damage.

What would you like people to know as a result of your attack?
I think the animal rescue shelter withheld information, and they knew. They told my references all different stories. Looking back, I can see all the red flags about the shelter and their story. I think it is horrible to make an aggressive dog sound “more desirable” to sell it by changing words, and my life will never be the same because of it.