Coleen Ware, the dog’s owner, claimed that Savannah “walks the (dog) all the time without any issues,” according to the police report.
Tierney Dumont, Savannah’s mother, said her daughter is now home and is still traumatized by the attack. She said Savannah plays with the neighbor’s daughter and little sister, but had never met the dog before.
“This was the first time that she had ever come into an encounter with that dog,’ Dumont said. “She hadn’t been down to their house for a while now. She was playing with her friend’s little sister and the dog attacked her from behind before she could even say hello to the dog.”
Dumont said that Savannah went to play with her friend, “and she was playing with the little sister and her friend went inside to get the dog and bring it outside. As soon as she let the dog outside it attacked her from behind. She had her back towards the dog and he just grabbed on to her head.”
Savannah has wounds to the back of her head but no wounds on the front of her face because she was attacked from behind, said Dumont, who added, “she never even saw it coming. She has wounds to her hands because she was trying to push the dog off her.”
Dumont’s boyfriend, Nate Baker, was outside with her when she heard Savannah’s screams during the attack.
MORE: World’s largest Buckeye weighed at Ohio State Fair
“We were outside when it happened but not in eyesight of what happened. We heard Savannah’s screams and it was awful,” Dumont said. “She has been discharged from the hospital and she is such a trooper. She is doing awesome, but there is a long road ahead of her but she is doing well for the time being.”
Members of the cheer team of which Savannah is a member had the family’s yard decorated when she got home, and it helped boost her spirits, her mother said.
“We have had so much support it is unbelievable,” Dumont said. “Savannah is an animal lover, so this is really sad this happened to her. She wants to grow up and be a veterinarian. She saw a therapy dog in the hospital and it went OK but she kept bringing up the dog that attacked her saying she didn’t want to see it again.”
After Saturday night’s attack, the dog — which Ware surrendered to the Animal Resource Center that night — was quarantined, and it will be euthanized, officials said.
MORE: This Centerville coach could be named Ohio’s teacher of the year. Here’s how he did it.
About the Authors
