I feel like I didn’t ask her this, so I think that it’s time to show who I am now and I can’t be scared of it. Dog attacks can happen to anyone anywhere. Sometimes a little scratch or bite will draw blood; however, more severe attacks can lead to reconstructive surgeries, years of therapy, and even death. Breeds are often at fault, which has led to several being banned in certain countries. The one trait all of these banned breeds have in common is that they are all large dogs with a history of aggressive behavior. Many argue that the dog is not to blame for attacks, but the owner, yet statistics show that dogs with wide, short heads and weighing between 66 and 100 pounds are most likely to bite. Today, we’ll look at some of the most unsettling dog attacks and how to survive one. What breed of dogs has killed the most humans? How did this woman lose both of her arms from a dog attack? And which dog has the strongest bite?
“You say you’ve had 18 surgeries, 18 surgeries since the attack, and do they have any estimate of how many more you’ll have to go through?”
“They don’t know the number of surgeries, but they assume one to two more years.”
On December 23rd, 2021, just a day before her 22nd birthday, two dogs viciously attacked dog sitter Jaclyn Durand. She was hired to watch them while the owners were away and had no reason to believe they were aggressive. Days prior to the attack, Jaclyn had met the dogs with their owners present and felt they were well-behaved. Jaclyn was also promised the dogs would be in a crate when she arrived to check on them, but she received a text from the owner claiming they hadn’t had a chance to lock the dogs up before leaving. Their front door also had a sign that read, “Crazy dogs, please don’t knock or ring the bell, call or text instead.”
Unfortunately for Jaclyn, the moment she opened the door, a boxer-pitbull mix and a German Shepherd lunged at her, knocking her to the ground. Within seconds, she was dragged from the front door to the living room by the ferocious dogs. Fearing for her life, she tried calling for help but could barely talk after sustaining more than 800 bites during the 30-minute attack. Thankfully, the door alarm went off because it had been left open for so long. When the police arrived, they were greeted by the two highly agitated dogs and could hear faint whimpering inside.
“Can you hear me?”
First responder body camera video shows the two dogs who attacked her holding the police at bay, leaving Jaclyn agonizing for help.
“We can’t make entry because of the dogs.”
It took 37 minutes before the paramedics felt it was safe enough for them to enter the home and get Jaclyn the help she desperately needed. They found her lying in a pool of blood with puncture wounds all over her legs. It was later determined the dogs had ripped off her jeans and shirt.
“What did you remember about where they were attacking you?”
“Uh, my leg, my arm, my face the most, especially when I felt the skin hanging from my face. I was just, I, I thought I was going to die.”
Jaclyn ended up losing 30% of her blood. Sadly, her ears, nose, and most of her face were disfigured. After being rushed to the hospital with multiple life-threatening injuries, Jaclyn endured a 7-hour emergency surgery where doctors reconstructed her face. Thankfully, her recovery is going well, having had over two dozen surgeries since the attack. She continues to share her inspiring journey of perseverance with followers on her YouTube and Instagram channels. Jaclyn doesn’t want to be seen as a victim, but rather an example, and that may be why she didn’t hide the scars that showed the more than 800 bites on her body. As for the two dogs, they were taken into police custody, and a judge ultimately decided they should be euthanized.
Before we dive deeper into our survival story, let me tell you about today’s sponsor, Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus. This game is awesome, and I’ll be honest, I’m not super well-versed in the Warhammer world, but as a big fan of strategy games, fantasy, and sci-fi, this makes those long subway rides to work way more fun. Tacticus drops you right into the Warhammer 40,000 universe, where you command some of the most powerful champions in fast-paced, turn-based tactical battles. I’ve been building my perfect squad of champions, and the combos you can create are insane. My favorite character is Bellator and his signature move, “Death from Above.” I mean, you got to see this, his boys fly down and help you out, it’s incredible. Whether I’m grinding through PVE campaigns or going head-to-head with real players in PVP, every match feels fresh and intense. And it doesn’t stop there; there are live events, guild raids, and tons of new content dropping all the time. Seriously, Snowprint Studios has been killing it with constant updates since the game launched. Whether you’re a veteran of Warhammer 40,000 or totally new like me, there’s something here for you. Plus, with 80-plus champions and 18 factions to explore, the strategy possibilities are endless. It’s got a four-and-a-half-star rating for a reason. So, if you’re ready to put your tactical mind to the test, download Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus now, hit the link in the description or scan the QR code, and start commanding your champions today.
Now, back to the show. Let Jaclyn’s story be a warning for anyone interested in dog sitting. Do your research to learn about a dog’s history, breed, and behavior before agreeing to anything. Even though Jaclyn met the dogs days before her attack, they felt comfortable with their owners around and threatened without them. But German Shepherds and pit bulls are statistically two of the most dangerous breeds that are known for biting people. With their combative demeanor and muscular build, pit bulls have killed the most humans out of any other breed. They’re responsible for 66% of all dog attacks in the US, based on data from 2005 to 2017. Surprisingly, they don’t have the most powerful bites, but more on that later.
If you ever find yourself being attacked by a pit bull or any dog for that matter, here are a few key survival tips. Be still; running away in fear could incite the dog to chase you. Slowly get to higher ground if you can; unlike cats, dogs aren’t great climbers. If that’s not an option, play dead while protecting your neck. Your first instinct might be to fight back, but this could make matters worse and anger the dog further. The Seattle Humane Society recommends to get down on the ground, pull your knees to your chest, clasp your hands behind your neck, and put your elbows around your face. Protecting your neck is very important; a bite here could be fatal, especially if your carotid artery is pierced, which supplies blood to the brain. Throw a shirt, towel, or cloth over the dog’s eyes if possible; otherwise, you may have to wait for the dog to lose interest. If you’re feeling brave, you can try to choke it or hit it with something heavy. If you have mace on hand, like what you might use on a bear, it can deter even the most dangerous dogs.
But what should you do if you’re being attacked by multiple dogs? Well, that’s something Kyleen Waltman learned the hard way. Before we jump into that story, subscribe to stay prepared for all life has to throw at you.
“The doctor that done the surgery to remove her arms said that was the worst dog attack he has ever seen.”
While on a walk to her mother’s house, 38-year-old Kyleen Waltman was brutally attacked by three pit bulls and is only alive because of an area farmer who witnessed it. Thankfully, Avery Presley was driving past on his tractor that day. He found Kyleen in a ditch being ravaged by the dogs. Avery grabbed his handgun and fired it in the air, which scared them off. Kyleen was covered in bloody lacerations and had part of her tricep ripped off. She was so severely injured that she couldn’t speak. The damage was so extreme that Avery, who had known her for 25 years, couldn’t even recognize her. It wasn’t until police pulled her ID from her pocket that Kyleen was identified.
After being airlifted to the hospital, she had both of her arms amputated, part of her colon, and a portion of her leg removed due to infection. It was one of the more gruesome animal attacks. Initially, doctors thought they were able to save enough muscle and tissue in her right arm to fit a prosthetic. Unfortunately, the damage done to both arms was so significant that prosthetics were ruled out as an option for either of them. After waking up from surgery, Waltman was unaware of her condition, constantly asking her mother to hold her hand while she was lying in the hospital bed. She spent 7 weeks in the hospital enduring more than 10 surgeries but has continued to struggle with the aftermath of the attack physically, mentally, and financially. A GoFundMe was launched, raising over $360,000 to help with medical bills. A lawsuit was also filed against the county and the dogs’ owner, Justin Miner. He was arrested with multiple charges, including three counts of owning dangerous animals. The three dogs were euthanized following the attack, and eight other dogs were taken from Miner’s possession and sent to a shelter.
If a group of dogs attacks you, the advice is more or less the same as dealing with a single dog: protect your neck with your hands and curl into a ball. Call out for help if you can while trying to stay still. If it isn’t apparent by now, pit bulls aren’t the safest pets; whether in a group or alone, they can cause significant damage, even well-trained pit bulls who are known to be affectionate. Just ask 20-year-old Brooklyn Khoury.
Skateboarder and model Brooklyn Khoury was making strides in her career, from landing sponsorships to being featured in Vogue. She was building a large following online, focusing on being a voice for women in the skateboarding community. However, on September 3rd, 2020, while visiting her cousin in Arizona, her life changed forever. Brooklyn was a victim of a pit bull attack, and to this day, she has no idea why the dog she’d known for years lunged at her.
“I was literally standing in the kitchen and I was petting his head while he was sitting down, and I slowly looked back. I did not do it aggressively, I did not do it quickly, I just looked back at him, and that’s when he sprung off the ground and latched onto my face.”
The pit bull, which weighed more than 100 pounds, clamped onto Brooklyn’s lip for nearly a minute. It then started violently shaking and eventually released. That’s when Brooklyn says she saw something peculiar.
“When he released, I saw something fling and hit the wall and fall down. I stood up and I was like, ‘Wow, this is the biggest breath of pressure I’ve ever taken in my life.’ I didn’t realize that the dog had taken off my whole upper lip. I went into the bathroom and I kind of grabbed the sink and I looked up. I just looked like a skeleton.”
She found everything from her nose down was completely ripped off. After being rushed to a hospital and isolated as COVID-19 restrictions wouldn’t allow Brooklyn any visitors, she began looking online for people who suffered from a similar injury. Once she realized no one had experienced the same trauma or documented their recovery online, Brooklyn decided to take action. She started to take photos and videos, sharing her journey. This included posting to not only Instagram but also YouTube, where she has done multiple vlogs and Q&As with followers. Brooklyn explained:
“I genuinely wanted to share my story. I felt so alone in the hospital. I needed a community of difference in a world of perfect, so I just made sure to be super vulnerable and have it be a safe space to post what I wanted to post. I just wanted somebody else, if they were going through it, to be able to relate. I was attacked by a pit bull.”
Brooklyn has had five reconstructive surgeries, including the removal of a piece of flesh from her wrist to replace her upper lip, and a nose reconstruction. She’s since been able to focus entirely on creating content full-time to inspire others like herself.
“I’ll see you guys there. I think November 3rd is a day to choose to smile, and choose to be happy, and choose to like live with what you have, and appreciate everything that you have at the same time.”
Although our stories have mostly featured pit bulls, they’re not the only breed known for their dangerous behavior. This is the XL Bully, the largest breed of the American Bully and possibly the deadliest. Following several vicious attacks on people, many of which have been fatal, the breed has either been banned or restricted in many countries. Sadly, the ban wasn’t in place when an XL Bully nearly killed an 11-year-old girl who was running near a gas station while out for a walk in Birmingham, England.
The owner of the XL Bully lost control of his dog as it broke free of its collar. It lunged at the young girl, biting her arm. Its owner was able to hold the dog down after the initial attack, but it broke free again and targeted two men who had rushed to help. You can see in the Texaco CCTV footage just how vicious the dog was as it chased them. Yousef Anwar, who ran the car wash next door, was bitten on the leg. He says:
“I saw the girl be attacked, she was bitten. I saw the dog and I came out. I was really scared.”
If it wasn’t for nearby witnesses intervening, the dog could have killed the young girl. Thankfully, she was taken to the hospital and discharged shortly after. The owner of the dog, a 60-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of possessing a dog dangerously out of control. Sadly, XL Bully attacks appear to be a common issue in the UK, where in 2024 alone, six people, including children, have all lost their lives. The surge in attacks has led to a call for a ban on the breed, which some lawmakers have opposed.
If you ever see a dog attack, call emergency services immediately for help. You should also avoid hitting the dog, as it may provoke it further and cause a more aggressive reaction. As I mentioned before, throwing something over the dog’s eyes, such as a cloth, towel, or even a t-shirt, may help. You also don’t want to pull the person being attacked, as this could lead to more severe injuries if the dog refuses to let go.
Sometimes, though, dog attack victims get help from the most unlikely source: cats. In 2014, 4-year-old Jeremy was playing on his driveway when a neighbor’s 8-month-old Labrador-Chow mix escaped and attacked him. After biting Jeremy and dragging him to the ground, the boy’s cat, named Tara, sprung into action. She quickly came to his aid by jumping on the dog, leading to a chase. Jeremy would end up requiring 10 stitches in his leg where he was bitten, and Tara the cat would go on to become a viral sensation for her heroic efforts. She even has her own Instagram page and website. Tara, we salute you for your bravery.
While pit bulls and XL Bullies have a checkered history, it’s not always the breed to blame. Experts often say that a dog’s behavior is learned, and it’s the owner’s treatment of the dog that leads to violent encounters. Even though pit bulls tend to be involved in the most attacks, their bite force is nothing compared to the Turkish Kangal. They pack a whopping 743 PSI; that’s more than three times stronger than a pit bull’s bite. Still, they’re only banned or restricted in Denmark, Ukraine, and Belarus.
To avoid being a victim of a dog attack, you need to be aware of your surroundings and understand a dog’s behavior prior to a potential attack. Often their bodies will stiffen, and sometimes they’ll growl and show their teeth. If any of this occurs, don’t run; just slowly back away and avoid eye contact, as this will make you appear less threatening. We did a whole in-depth video on surviving a dog attack, so check that out next to stay prepared. It could be the difference between life and death.
