The Staffordshire pit bull terrier bit a chunk off Chrissie Smith's index finger on her left hand when she leapt to the aid of her pet dog Rosie, a 15-year-old terrier crossbreed, on a nature reserve in Ronkswood, Worcester.
The 55-year-old typist has undergone an operation and is signed off work until the end of the month. It is expected to be another 15 months until she is pain-free.
Still shaken by the attack, she fears the dog may strike again and needs to be found, along with its female owner, before its too late.
The attack happened on Ronkswood Hill Meadow, near Dove Close, between 3pm and 5pm on Monday, December 19.
As she entered the field a woman, who was walking two dark brown [pit bulls], shouted across to her "My dog doesn't like small dogs".
Mrs Smith said the male [pit bull] started sniffing Rosie then suddenly attacked her.
Note: This woman shouted at you, from a distance, that her pit bull 'doesn't like small dogs'. Why would you even let it get close to your dog? Close enough to start "sniffing Rosie"???
"It jumped on her back and bit her on the scruff of her neck before lifting her onto her front paws and started shaking her," she said.
"I grabbed hold of the collar and tried pulling it backwards. I don't know how but then it bit me.
"It happened so quickly I didn't realize the end of my finger had come off and, I guess because of the shock, I can't really remember what the woman looked like.
"I somehow kept hold of the collar so the owner could put it on the lead."
Police are investigating and have gone door-to-door in the area to try and locate the owner of the dogs.
Mrs Smith said: "She had two primary school aged children with her – what if it goes for them? What if it went for their face or worse?
"I don't know how safe it would be now after it's bitten someone.
"I'm an animal lover, I wouldn't want to see a dog put down, but I'm worried it could be a danger to other people and other animals.
"I want her or anyone who knows her to get in touch with police because all I keep thinking is it could happen again to another dog or another owner."
"She shouted over to me that it didn't like small dogs so, to me, that meant she knew the dog was dangerous.
"She should have had it on a lead with a muzzle.
"My dog would have been killed if it hadn't bitten me instead."
A woman with walking her Labrador offered to take her to hospital and drop Rosie with a friend.
At Worcestershire Royal Hospital, she had five injections to numb the pain, a tetanus shot and, two days later, the operation.
Rosie also went into shock and problems with her liver have been exasperated since the attack.
"I went onto the field for the first time at the weekend. For nearly three weeks I didn't dare go on there because I was so scared," said Mrs Smith.
Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting incident 567S 191216.
(Hereford Times - Jan 14, 2017)
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