COLORADO -- AlexisTrujillo-Valdez , 6, has been home from school since last week, recovering from a dog attack in her back yard.
She still has a hard time walking after the Lab - Pit Bull mix attacked her while she was playing on her swing set.
The attack happened last Thursday on the south side of Colorado Springs.
Her mother, Angel Trujillo, told TARGET 13 the dog was being watched by a neighbor when it came over and bit the girl on her thigh. "We just heard her scream and flew outside and picked her up," Trujillo said.
At first she didn't see the marks left by the dog, named Diesel. "She was lying on the ground, on her leg, so we couldn't see it. When we turned her over, that's when we saw it."
Pictures of the bite show a deep gash in the little girl's thigh. Her parents rushed her to the hospital where she needed more than a dozen stitches.
"It's been a hard experience," said Trujillo. She showed TARGET 13 a note left by the dog's owner stating she was "sorry" and she was going to put the dog to sleep.
The note was given to the family a day after the attack, but as of Tuesday night, the dog is still alive, which upsets the girl's family.
"Everybody wants the dog to be put to sleep. They don't see how she can keep it alive, especially since she has three kids," said Trujillo.
The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region continues to investigate the dog bite. A spokeswoman said the dog has been quarantined, but no charges have been filed against the owner yet.
TARGET 13 did speak with the dog's owner Tuesday night. She said the reason the dog hasn't been put down because they need to make sure it's healthy and doesn't have any diseases, for the safety of the little girl.
The owner adds she is complying with the investigation and was the one who reported the attack the next day.
She also said that after the attack she gave her number to the girl's parents if they needed anything or wanted information.
(KRDO - September 13, 2011)
