Tot shakes off dog attack
THE father of a 20-month-old child who suffered a vicious dog attack in Woodbury has spoken of the bravery of his daughter.
Tiny Jasmine Rawlings had just finished playing on a trampoline in grandmother Carole White's front garden on Park View, Woodbury, when the dog attacked, biting into her jaw and pinning her down.
Jasmine, who was admitted to hospital after Friday's attack, returned home on Sunday and yesterday had her 85 stitches removed.
Mum Lisa White, 21, pulled the Golden Retriever clear before calling an ambulance and Jasmine's father, Jason Rawlings, who was at home in Exmouth following his shift as night superviser at the Southgate Hotel in Exeter.
The dog, which belonged to a friend of Mrs White, was later put down.
Mr Rawlings, 38, of Blackmore Court, said: "I was woken up by a call from Lisa as I was asleep. I was just frantic as I did not know the full details, and it took me 40 minutes to get over there because of the traffic.
"When I saw Jasmine later she was crying and wailing as the dog had torn her skin - as a parent, it was your worst nightmare.
"Jasmine is back at home now, and you would hardly know it happened. She has no fear of dogs and is doing well.
"I watched her sleeping on Sunday and kept thinking I could have done something, or if the dog could have been on a lead. But it was just a freak accident and a real shock as you would not think that a Golden Retriever would do that."
Staff at the Bramble Ward at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital had been a tremendous help, said Mr Rawlings, as had friends and neighbours who had rallied around to offer support.
Mr Rawlings expressed concern about people allowing dogs freedom around children, arguing that if a placid breed could attack a child that there was justification for keeping dogs on a lead. He said staff at the hospital had told him incidents involving dogs were a weekly occurrence.
Doctors at the RD&E now hope that any future scarring to Jasmine's jaw will be minimal. Jasmine, who has a six-year-old half-sister Catkin, is now at home in the caring arms of her family.
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