Kelcee-Marie Ford is simply 14 years of ages and simply over a year ago she was assaulted by a dog. It has actually left her with both psychological and physical scars and no sensation in her lower arm. As Kelcee continues her healing, which has actually left her not able to participate in school full-time, she has actually chosen to share her story to reveal the effect that dog attacks can have.
It has actually taken Kelcee over a year to feel comfy informing her story as she recuperates psychologically and physically from the attack, which happened in a house in Ely, Cardiff. She says the dog, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, acquired her arm for over 10 minutes, leaving her with serious blood loss and requiring 2 and a half hours of emergency situation surgical treatment.
Speaking about the attack, which happened on Tuesday, April 5 2022, Kelcee said she “didn’t understand what to do” or how to get the dog to launch her. She said she was cuddling the dog when it assaulted her.
Kelcee said: “I don’t understand what took place however he simply chose my arm. I didn’t understand what to do so I went on to the couch…I was kicking him in the face to attempt and get him off.”
FIND OUT MORE: Two arrests and 20 vehicles seized after ride-out to remember teenagers killed in Ely crash
Describing the discomfort, she said: “It seemed like my arm simply continued getting crushed and crushed till it couldn’t any longer and warm from the blood.”
Kelcee invested 2 nights in the University Hospital of Wales recuperating from the attack and after that had weekly consultations for 8 months to treat the injuries. Alongside physiotherapy, as Kelcee momentarily lost using her middle finger, this suggested often Kelcee was going to the healthcare facility 3 times a week.
Now Kelcee has no sensation in her lower arm, from elbow to wrist, and has actually not yet gone back to school full-time, rather entering one or two times a week. Kelcee’s experience left her with psychological health concerns and she was not able to leave your home for a while after the attack.
Currently recuperating, Kelcee said: “[I’m] still not mentally great about it all. At the start it was a lot worse, even if I looked at a dog it would all come back and I would be reminded of it all and everything would come back.” At points, Kelcee says she stopped consuming and she received counselling from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and her school, Cardiff West Community High School.
The attack left Kelcee horrified of dogs, she said: “I didn’t want to be around dogs, if there was a dog on one side of the street even if it was further ahead I would have to cross to the other side because I couldn’t walk past it.” Kelcee would likewise sob and have anxiety attack seeing dogs and needed to build as much as leaving your home on her own, very first going out with friends and family.
Now Kelcee is more comfy around smaller sized dogs and dogs she understands however is still uneasy near huge dogs. She said: “It is more with ones that appear like the dog that bit me, I’m more careful around since it advises me of what the other one did to me.”
Kelcee likewise attempts to prevent locations like beaches and open areas where dogs are most likely to be release the leash, she said: “I don’t really want to go because it could come up to me…if the dog looks similar or looks more aggressive then I do try and avoid them.”
Speaking about why she chose to share her story, Kelcee said: “I know how bad it was for me and how much it affected me and I wouldn’t want that for someone else or even someone that was younger than me.” Kelcee thinks that individuals around dogs that have actually assaulted individuals prior to need to be informed of the dog’s previous attacks and specific types need to need licences to own.
She is wishing to go back to school full-time and is sitting her GCSEs next year with aspirations to end up being an instructor. For more Cardiff news you can register to the newsletter here.
South Wales Police said: “Police were contacted us to reports of woman being assaulted by a dog in Caerau, Cardiff, at around 3.15pm on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. A 37-year-old lady was jailed on suspicion of having a dog alarmingly out of control in a public location and is on bail pending more queries.”
READ NEXT:
