I was attacked by my family’s pet dogs when I was 34 weeks pregnant – they tore off my clothes and left me bleeding and naked in a field
Terrie Graham, 27, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, was initially relieved when her mum suggested the family dogs live with her
CONCERNED about a series of break-ins in the area, Terrie Graham, 27, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, was relieved when her mum suggested the family dogs Shadow and Sadie live with her for a bit.
At 34 weeks pregnant, single mum-to-be Terrie agreed it would nice to have the dogs – who she had known since they were puppies – around.
But, seemingly out-of-the-blue while on a walk, they both turned on her.
As Terrie protected her eight-and-a-half-month bump, the hounds started clawing and biting.
They stripped her naked – leaving her bloodied and battered on the floor. Terrie was forced to have an emergency C-section while unconscious - and her son, James, was rushed to neo-natal intensive care.
Now Terrie, mum to a healthy six-month-old, tells her remarkable story:
NEWLY-SINGLE after my relationship with my boyfriend fizzled out, I was shocked to discover I was pregnant.
I went straight to my parents Lisa and Colin’s house as they were always the people I went to for advice.
They vowed to be there for me, no matter what, and snuggled up to their dogs – two Staffordshire terriers called Sadie and Shadow – I vowed to bring my baby up alone.
Although my baby wasn’t planned and I was faced with challenge of being a single mum, I couldn’t wait for him or her to arrive.
As the weeks went by, I eagerly started preparing, buying baby clothes and setting up the cot. I wanted everything to be perfect before the baby arrived.
Mum lived in Northampton, an hour away from my home, but she attended scans with me when she could and spent hours on the phone to me, chatting about the baby.
However, there was something that was worrying me. I’d heard of several break-ins on my street, and I confided in my mum.
She and my dad were concerned too, so – as they were going on holiday to Spain – they suggested I take Sadie and Shadow, both three, in for a while.
They thought they would give me a sense of protection until the baby arrived.
I was happy to, as I had known them since they were puppies and loved them. Shadow would curl up with me at night, resting her head on my bump.
At 34 weeks pregnant – while my parents were on holiday – I took them for a walk in the fields near my home.
It was early morning and, popping on their leads, I was really looking forward to the stroll.
As we approached the fields, I took off their collars. Everything was fine as the dogs ran on ahead of me until suddenly, completely out of the blue, they turned on me.
I thought initially they were going for my leather jacket – they loved playing with clothes – so pulled that off so it wouldn’t get damaged.
But then they launched at me, knocking me to the ground. It was as if they’d gone feral.
As they savagely tore into my legs, I tried to fight them off. I tried to scramble to my feet but the pain was blinding and as they tore into my skin.
I couldn’t escape.
I was only wearing leggings and a T-shirt and there was no-one around to help me. I wondered if I would lose consciousness, and I feared they might kill me.
They ripped all my clothes off me until I was lying totally naked in the field.
During it all I clung onto my belly, protecting my baby from them.
The attack lasted 40 minutes before a passer-by spotted me and rang 999.
When the paramedics arrived they were forced to grapple with the dogs to free me from their clutches.
I was rushed to accident and emergency at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, but by then I was struggling to stay awake. I remember being wheeled into hospital, and then everything went black.
It turned out that because I had lost so much blood, doctors had no choice but to perform an emergency Caesarean.
What are dangerous dogs, which breeds are banned in the UK and what’s the Dangerous Dogs Act?
Often confused with the banned Pit Bull terrier breed, the Staffordshire Bull terrier is NOT banned in the UK, despite being labelled by some as 'dangerous'.
The official Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) bans four breeds from being owned or bred, but what is the law surrounding dangerous dogs and which breeds are affected?
The act specifically made four breeds of dog illegal to own, breed from, abandon or sell: the Pit Bull terrier, Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentino and the Fila Braziliero.
But according to the RSPCA over a third of the people killed by dogs since the act was brought in were attacked by legal breeds.
The Pit Bull terrier was originally bred in England for fighting in sports such as bear bating and dog fighting which took place in a "pit".
The Japanese Tosa was also bred for fighting in the Far East.
Owing to Japanese dog fighting rules the animals weren't allowed to make any noise in the pit so some of these dogs are said to have been able to fight in silence.
The Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero were both bred to hunt large animals in South America but became popular for dog fighting when they were brought to this country.
If a person owns a banned dog the police or council are allowed to take it away and keep it regardless of whether or not it is acting dangerously or a complaint has been made.
If the animal is in a public place they can simply be confiscated there and then - but in private, police must have a warrant to take the dog.
After it has been examined by an expert the dog will either be kept in kennels while the police apply to court or released.
Once in court the owner has to prove the dog is not a banned breed and if successful the dog will be returned.
But if the dog is deemed to be a dangerous type or the owner pleads guilty they could face an unlimited fine or up to six months in prison as well as the dog being destroyed.
James, my son, had arrived six weeks early, weighing 5lb 7oz.
As he was early, and because of the ordeal I had been through, he was taken to neo-natal intensive care at the hospital.
But, thankfully, he was perfectly healthy and was allowed home three weeks later.
It was horrible being separated from him for so long. I was very injured myself.
I was on antibiotics, given injections for blood clots and was recovering from the surgery.
Mum and Dad were still abroad, trying to get a flight home, but my sister Lucy, 25, sat with me for hours.
I managed to come to terms with the attack quickly – thanks to my wonderful son, who helped me through it.
Now, six months on, the scars on my legs are still sore but I’m focussing on settling into motherhood.
James and I are a little duo and I already can’t imagine life without him. Since the attack, the dogs had to be put down, to make sure no one else suffered the way I did.
They had a taste for blood – what could you do? But I don’t hate them and I am trying to remember the good times with them – when they were cute and cuddly.
I don’t want to dwell on the attack but instead remember Shadow cuddling up to my bump and Sadie leaping for her ball.
We aren’t sure why they attacked, but we think maybe I was giving off a pregnancy hormone.
Either way, it doesn’t matter. What’s happened has happened and – amazingly, considering they could have hit a major artery – James is fine.
What recent dog attacks have been witnessed in the UK?
November 2016 - Aiden Noel, 19, had part of his nose ripped off by a Jack Russell Terrier.
August 2016 - A three-year-old boy died after an American bulldog savaged him. Owner Jade Dunne, 29, got 12 months’ jail suspended for two years.
April 2017 - A girl, 10 was tossed around "like a rag doll" for ten minutes by an out-of-control dog.
April 2017 - A one-year-old was scalped by a devil dog which was later shot dead.
May 2017 - A two-year-old girl was "absolutely shredded after being savaged by an “XXL” American Bully Dog.
June 2017 - A young girl suffered facial injuries after she was bitten by a husky.
November 2017 - A couple's pet Beagle was mauled to death by two vicious Mastiff-type dogs when it was let off its lead in a park.
December 2017 - A dog owner was jailed for four years after her staffie mauled 12 kids in a playground in Northumberland in May 2016, leaving a girl's leg looking like 'Swiss cheese'.
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