Mum 'felt sick' seeing toddler covered in blood from dog attack needing surgery

13 December 2023 , 11:22

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Elouise Smith after she was attacked by a dog (Image: Stacey Louise Murray / SWNS)

A mum has told how she "felt sick" when she picked up her three-year-old toddler who was covered in blood and needing surgery after a horrific dog attack.

Elouise Smith was mauled by a Staffy-cross while playing at a friend's house in Doncaster, south Yorkshire, her family said. Mum Stacey Louise Murray, 33, said when she picked up her blood-soaked daughter she was horrified to find puncture wounds down to the bone.

She told how she was angry at first but has remained friends with the owners of the dog, which has now been destroyed. Stacey also said that there needs to be more awareness over the threat from aggressive dogs with more dangerous breeds requiring more training. "I support the Mirror's dangerous dogs campaign, I do, especially if it gets the word out there," she said.

Stacey, a senior care assistant for a charity, said: "Apparently the dog bit her once, let go, and then it sat next to her and she was sat next to the dog trying to calm it down. She was crying when I got to the house and her face was wrapped up in a white towel. As I put my hands out to get her and the towel dropped revealing her injuries it made me feel sick, but I couldn't have shown any emotion as it would have made her feel worse.

Stacey said she "felt sick" on seeing the state of her daughter (Stacey Louise Murray / SWNS)

Elouise had three hours of surgery (Stacey Louise Murray / SWNS)

"It makes you feel awful as a mum because I wasn't there. My partner couldn't even look at her - it just made him cry." Elouise was rushed to Rotherham Hospital, where she underwent three hours of surgery on Friday (December 1).

Girl, 4, mauled to death in dog attack pictured as neighbours hear mum's screams

Stacey continued: "She had a through-and-through bite to the bottom of her right cheek that went through to her jaw and then she had cut in corner of her eye that needed to be stitched. She had another cut that needed to be stitched and a gash on her cheekbone that needed to be stitched too.

"When the surgeon came out of theatre he said it took longer than anticipated as it was deeper than they originally thought - so it was a three-hour surgery instead of one. We were pacing up and down - we were just desperate for it all to go well. She said when we were in the hospital, 'its my fault, I'm sorry'.

The dog was destroyed after the attack (Stacey Louise Murray / SWNS)

Stacey said she is proud at how brave Elouise has been (Stacey Louise Murray / SWNS)

"I said it's not your fault and she was blaming herself. That was heartbreaking for me to hear her say that." Stacey is now worried about letting Elouise leave her side but says she is proud of how resilient she's been.

She said: "I don't worry necessarily about any potential scarring as it's her own story to tell as she gets older but I worry about leaving her alone with anybody at the minute - she's not left my side and I don't think she will for a while. She was a little trooper bless her. She was trying to reassure the dog after it bit her - she's so resilient."

Stacey has said they are still friends with the owners of the dog. She added: "At first emotions were heightened and we were very angry but as time has gone on emotions have settled and now Elouise has come out the other side. They're feeling it as well. I couldn't imagine having to ring someone to tell them that their dog had bit their child. But there's nothing we could have done as parents to prevent it. We allowed her to go for dinner and have a play date. We can't go back, it's happened now."

She supports tougher penalties for people who breed dogs for fighting. She said: "I think all breeds of dogs can turn and I don't think it's potentially down to any kinds of breed but if they are classed as a dangerous dog I think there needs to be more training. I think for serial breeders there needs to be more awareness - people need to realise who they are selling their dogs to as well.‌

"People can't cope with certain types of breeds. If people are breeding them for fighting, then tougher penalties are needed. I'm glad she's come out the other side but people need to be more wary of what they are buying and not use the dogs for dangerous purposes."

A GoFundMe page has been launched to support Elouise and her family. A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "We were called on 1 December at 4.36pm by hospital staff to reports of a girl with dog bites. It is reported that the three-year-old girl sustained dog bites to the face from a Staffy-type dog, earlier that afternoon at a property on The Crescent, Doncaster.

"The girl received treatment at hospital, where her injuries were believed to be serious but not life threatening. Officers attended the address where the incident was reported to have happened and where the owners disclaimed their dog. The dog was later destroyed. Enquiries have concluded and no arrests have been made in connection with the incident."

Lucy Thornton