Over the weekend our son was attacked and bitten by a dog in the family. Couple of things before I go forward. I love dogs. I love my family. I blame neither. Dogs are not human and sometimes they surprise us and remind us. That was this weekend.
We were visiting with family when their family dog 'snapped'....this is what I call it. Something triggered the dog to target Levi, jump on top of him, and bite his arm. Perhaps the dog thought he was a toy. Perhaps the dog thought he was vulnerable because he was little. Doesn't matter. End of the day - it was an attack. And it was the scariest moment of my life. Ever. Seeing your small child's arm in a dogs mouth and being jerked around is not something you can prepare for. Hearing your child scream in a way that makes your heart stop and your body feel numb - no way to prepare for that. I. Was. Terrified. We all were. Levi received 3 stitches in his upper right arm and cried awfully hard at Urgent Care (he was put in a straight jacket to control him -- another image a Mom can do without). The doctor was wonderful because he recognized my fears as a Mom and was quick to explain what he had to do. Drew, of course, was amazing. He was there when the incident occurred (thank goodness) and just like when Levi was born --- he reassured me with his calm eyes all would be okay. He was quick to the scene when he heard Levi scream. He grabbed him and assessed his arm. He drove a freaked out Mommy and terrified Levi to Urgent Care. Drew's an awesome husband and Daddy.
So - at the end of the day, all is okay. Levi's wounds should heal. The dog was up-to-date on all his shots. No one wanted or expected this happen. That being said - at work when a project closes we do what we call 'Lessons Learned'. So, lessons learned:
- Be aware of your child's surroundings. Sounds simple but this weekend was a quick reminder that it's not always that simple. You can think the environment is safe when maybe it's not.
- Don't trust any dog. Period. Be cautious.
- Dogs are dogs. End of the day, they don't have the same heart, soul and mind. I love my dogs to death but that's out the window when it comes to a child - especially my own.
My child is my priority. I will never let him near or around that same dog again and the plan is that he will find a new home. I can only pray that he doesn't have the opportunity to do to another child what he did to Levi or worse.
Sorry for the serious posts, but I think it's important to serve as a simple reminder that dogs - though cute, cuddly, and calm at times - may snap in a moment and without warning.
Much love,
Julie
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