19 September 2023 , 15:02
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A pregnant care worker's nose was left "hanging off" when a dog brutally attacked her - just moments after she walked into the patient's house.
Rebecca Scobie, 24, wasn't warned about the four dogs at the property, including the bulldog cross-breed which bit her. The dog is known to have an aggressive temperament and has to wear a muzzle on walks, Rebecca says.
The attack, which happened in Ayrshire, Scotland, saw Rebecca's nose ripped off by the bulldog cross-breed. She was left holding a "chunk" of her nose as it gushed with blood, and was rushed by partner Aidan to A&E.
Since then, Rebecca, who herself has two dogs, has undergone surgery to help reconstruct her nose at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Despite the attack, Rebecca was "distraught" the dog was put down a day later, and claims she is saddened by the recent news of banning XL bullies as she believes "a breed should never be judged".
Rebecca was viciously attacked by a patient's dog on July 25 (Kennedy News and Media)
The woman needed surgery to reconstruct her face following the terror (Kennedy News and Media)However at 17-weeks-pregnant her "baby bubble" has been broken and she now vows to be more cautious around them when her son is born - even with their two family-friendly spaniels. Rebecca, from Ardrossan in Ayrshire, said: "I had only just walked in and introduced myself and said 'Hi, I'm Rebecca'... One of the dogs had jumped onto the back of the couch so I reached out just to pet it, as I would any other dog.
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"I was stood at the back of the couch, so I went to touch it and it all just happened really quickly. I'd only been in the house for around two minutes. It snapped at my face and took away some of my nose.
"My nose just felt really numb. There was a lot of adrenaline and I think because of nerve damage I couldn't really feel much of it. I just held my nose and turned to face the wall. It felt more like it had broken my nose with the impact.
"The woman's son said 'Did she manage to get you there?' I moved my hand away and the blood just started pouring. Even at that point I didn't know it had bitten me, it just felt like it had knocked me. He [the woman's son] offered to call an ambulance and that's when I realised how serious it was.
"I opened my phone camera to have a look and saw a chunk had been taken out of nose. That's when I broke down. I phoned my partner and said 'My nose is hanging off'. It was terrifying."
Since the attack, Rebecca found out that the bulldog was known to be "unpredictable" and" aggressive" and had to be put down the next day. Despite the damage to her face and wary disposition around dogs, Rebecca still loves all breeds and is deeply upset by Rishi Sunak's recent announcement banning XL bullies.
Rebecca, aged 24, has two spaniels herself (Kennedy News and Media)
The home-care assistant does not support plans to ban XL Bullies despite her trauma (Kennedy News and Media)Rebecca, who has been a home-care assistant for five years but also works as a beauty practitioner, said: "I've found out since then that the dog is quite unpredictable and aggressive around other people.
"It usually gets muzzled when it goes out on walks and things like that. I didn't know that as a new carer, nothing was said [to me] at the time. It was put to sleep the following day after it happened. I was really upset and distraught for them [the family] about that.
"I'm definitely a lot more wary of dogs in general but I've never been like that. I've loved every kind of dog all my life. I have two dogs of my own, I've got a cocker spaniel and a cockapoo and even when they're near me I'm a bit wary of them now. Any dog in general I'm a bit more taken aback. The whole experience has given me a different perspective, but I still love dogs.
"I'm so saddened about the news about XL bullies, I'm dead upset by that. It should never be the breed that's judged, it's the way it's brought up and what the owner does."
Since the attack, Rebecca has undergone surgery where they took a skin graft from the back of her head to reconstruct the tip of her nose. The carer says despite difficulties looking in the mirror, with help of psychologist, loving partner, and baby boy on the way she's learning to help cope with the traumatic experience.
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Rebecca now vows to be more cautious with her new baby around dogs, including her own spaniels, and wants to remind other survivors to keep a positive mindset as they aren't alone. Rebecca said: "I'd just found out I was pregnant a few weeks prior and so I was just in this baby bubble.
"It's ruined the way I felt during my pregnancy but now my baby is the thing that's keeping me going and my partner is absolutely amazing as well. There's not a single day that goes past where I don't think about the situation or that moment. It isn't nice looking in the mirror. It's sort of a reminder of what happened.
"It's absolutely affected the way I've felt about my baby being around dogs too. I've always said I'd never let my baby pull on its ears or something, I'd never have done that anyway but even more so now.
"I'll be extra cautious because even family-friendly dogs can go at any time, it doesn't matter where you are or what kind of dog it is. I'd tell any other dog-attack survivors to keep a positive mindset and just know that looks aren't everything. What's important is how you feel inside.
"Things do get better. Since I posted it online, I've found so many people who have been attacked by dogs so you definitely aren't alone."