A four year old Old Massett girl is lucky to be alive, following a vicious dog attack that left her with a dozen stitches in her face, neck and chin.
It happened about 1:30 pm Monday afternoon between the Coop and Pearl's Restaurant in Masset. Cynthia Davidson told the Observer she was walking with her daughter Destiny, when the child reached out to pet a white husky dog, which was on a leash and being walked by its owner.
"My daughter just reached out to pet it and it jumped for her face," Ms Davidson said, "if the bite had been any more to her left side, it would have taken her eye out and gotten her jugular."
She says Destiny is the sixth victim of this dog, which has now been put down.
"I mean, my community is quite upset that it came down to my daughter being mauled in the face before they put this dog to sleep," Ms. Davidson said. She also says she wants to tell the story so that other children will be careful around dogs they don't know.
Destiny has 6 stitches in her cheek, 4 on her neck and another 2 on the chin.
"She is OK, but she's not," Ms Davidson said, "She says she doesn't want to leave the house because people are going to stare at her."
She was treated and released from hospital in Masset on Monday, but that's not the end of her medical problems. Ms. Davidson says Destiny will have to see a plastic surgeon in about six months time.