She is referring to the Rhodesian Ridgeback cross that nearly killed her outside her Pakenham farmhouse on Tuesday night.
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| Four-year-old Katie (inset) was attacked by a Rhodesian Ridgeback, similar to the one pictured here. |
The energetic four-year-old had been bouncing on a trampoline in the front yard when her mum called her inside for dinner.
What happened next was truly terrifying.
Katie's stepdad Dale Morrison said he was pulling up in the driveway when he saw the dog pounce.
"I'd just got home and a friend's dog was attacking our child," he said.
"It had her by the hair and I had to use reasonable force to get the dog off her."
Katie was partly scalped in the sickening attack and needed surgery yesterday at the Royal Children's Hospital, where she is in a stable condition.
"She just wants her favourite blue drink bottle now," Mr Morrison said.
"She's had her surgery and she's doing well."
It remains unclear how the dog, believed to be eight months old, got out from behind the backyard's large wire fence.
Mr Morrison said the dog was owned by a family friend who had stepped out five minutes before the attack.
"The dog is just here when our friend is here. They bring the dog here when they come and if they stay the dog stays, it's just an occasional thing," he said.
Council spokesman Paul Dunlop said the owner had co-operated with police and the council and had signed the appropriate papers to have the dog immediately destroyed.
"He's signed the dog over to council so it will be euthanised ... it's just a question of when," Mr Dunlop said.
The dog's owner was "gutted" by the near tragedy.
"He's not in a good way," he said.
"He's feeling pretty bad about it, but it's not his fault. It's just an accident."
The Morrison family has three dogs of their own, a goat and a pony that all live happily together on their small farm, Mr Morrison said.
"I'm sure the first thing Katie will do when she gets home is go and hug the dogs," he said.
"She loves them."
(Herald Sun - January 26, 2012)
