Dad left with PSTD and tried to take own life after being injured in dog attack
The victim of a savage dog attack ended up attempting to take his own life because the injuries he sustained were so severe.
Animal lover Mark Cole was set upon in January 2020 and the ordeal left him physically scarred and tormented by PTSD. He bravely spoke to WalesOnline about his experience to raise awareness of how the attacks can ruin someone’s life - if they manage to survive it.
The number of dog attacks recorded by police in England and Wales has risen by more than a third in the past five years. On Thursday, two women were hospitalised after another by a suspected XL Bully in Staffordshire. The creature is set to be destroyed.
He said the dog also went for his throat and the attack had a lasting effect (Media Wales)Mr Cole, from Pontardawe, south Wales, claimed the incident happened when he knocked on the door of someone he knew to pick up some keys. He said he remembers a Belgian Malamute “launching” at him and sinking its teeth into his arm.
He explained: “The dog launched itself out of the front door. It latched on to my hand and forehand. I was trying to punch it to get it off me, but it didn’t work. It was like I was hitting a coconut, it didn’t feel anything. I was getting absolutely nowhere. It was on its hind legs and nearly as tall as me.
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“It was ripping and tearing at me, I could feel the depths of the bite right inside me. I was screaming get it off me to the owner and they couldn’t control it.” For a moment, Mark said the dog let go and he bent over in agony clutching his arm. “Then the dog went for my throat,” he said.
His arm was left shattered by the vicious bite (Media Wales)Dripping with blood, Mark said he was taken to hospital, before he was transferred to the plastic surgery unit at Morriston Hospital. He said: “I was in terrible pain and shock while I was on my way to the hospital. The blood was pumping out of me. When I felt my face I could feel a flap of my skin dropping and in the well of the van there was blood everywhere.
“At the hospital they had to cut my sweater off and that’s when you could see the extent of blood to my wrist. The doctor said I was lucky to be alive and that if it bit an inch or so over, I would have bled out. I had a skin graft from my leg and I still have nerve damage. I also have the onset of arthritis due to the stress and damage.”
Although Mark’s physical symptoms will last, he said it’s the mental impact that affects him more than anything else. He said: “I consider myself to be a man’s man. I’ve played rugby and pretty much every sport there is. When I look back on the Mark I was, I would never have expected this to affect him this much. I’ve lost two relationships and I've moved house three times.I didn’t have these problems before this happened to me.”
His injuries change his life and he says he was never the same person (Media Wales)Mark said he has been diagnosed with PTSD and has made two suicide attempts in the last three years. Although he hasn’t felt suicidal in several months, he said he regularly thinks about death - something he said he didn’t previously struggle with.
Describing how his PTSD has manifested, he said: “People don’t understand what PTSD is like. It has many layers, sometimes you can feel okay and then the next minute you will have a panic attack. I have terrible flashbacks, even at times where I think I’m doing well I might go to bed and then I have this image of a dog launching itself in my face.
“When I’ve been walking and have seen a dog [that looks similar] I have found myself hiding. I wouldn’t have classed myself as morbid but now I think a lot about the fragility of life and death. My children were very worried and I had to sit them down and explain how this has affected me mentally. I had to tell them that I was having suicidal thoughts and am on medicaltion. It was absolutely terrible having to tell them that.”
The attack happened when he picked up a pair of keys (Rob Browne/Media Wales)Mark said that as a result of his PTSD - and stress due to an “increased workload” during the pandemic - parts of his personality changed. He claimed it led to him being suspended from his work as a maintenance manager at Swansea Council.
He said he believes his employer should have signed him off sick and better supported him to return to work as soon as he was fit to do so. Although he has received counselling from the council, Mark said he has been suspended for the last 18 months with no sign of the issue being resolved. He said this has added even more turmoil to his situation and has made it even harder to get over the attack.
He said: ”I wouldn't have been suspended if I didn't go through the trauma of the dog attack. And now I can’t move forward from it because I am out of work and in limbo. All I can do is go on walks and I am dreading the coming winter when it will be dark and gloomy until March. I find it terrible being out of work and being stuck in my house unable to fill the time. I’m a manager on good pay and you would think they would want to get this sorted.”
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Swansea council said that Mr Cole had received support from counselling services. A spokesperson said: “Ever since the dog attack, Mr Cole has received extensive, specialist support from our counselling services which remains ongoing.
“It is not appropriate to discuss any allegations of wrongdoing by any member of staff while an investigation is taking place, but to ensure fairness to all involved in what are sometimes very complex cases, the process can take time. It is also important to say that suspension during an investigation is a neutral act and that affected members of staff are offered access to support during this time.”
The number of dog attacks recorded by police in England and Wales has risen by more than a third in the past five years, experts at online pet pharmacy MyPetsVet. According to NHS Digital data, from 2021 to 2022 there were 8,655 hospital admissions for dog bites and injuries and 3,272 people required reconstructive surgery following an attack.
Several factors related to the pandemic could be attributed to a rise in dog bite attacks, including many people getting dogs not suited to them or their lifestyle, or simply not training and socialising their canine properly – especially new owners with little knowledge or experience of keeping a dog.
If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans in the UK operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or visit their site to find your local branch.
If in the United States, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org
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