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Little Girl Fights For Survival After Pit-Bull Attack
Newschannel 9 (TN) ^

Posted on 06/17/2009 10:47:46 PM PDT by Chet 99

June 17, 2009 - 9:29 PM Click here to contact Will Carr

A little girl continues to fight for life while her family, friends and even strangers continue to pray. On Wednesday doctors performed more surgery on eight-year-old Faith Guelde after a pit-bull attacked her several days ago.

Faith's grandmother says she's conscious but very, very critical. She says right now they're just hoping to save her right arm and then plan for a long road to recovery.

A picture taken at the hospital shows eight-year-old Faith Guelde wearing a pink and purple crown and offering a bright smile during a gloomy situation.

"She was actually smiling at us, we all lined up out there in the hallway, told her she was our hero," Faith's grandmother, Jodi Copus, says.

On Friday Faith's dog escaped from her families property. When she found the pet, it was fighting with a pit-bull in her neighbor's yard. Copus says Faith then tried to grab her dog but that's when the pit-bull attacked.

"She did tell me, Grandma I'd bit the dog in the neck hoping he'd stop but he kept on chewing me," Copus says.

Faith sustained critical injuries and had to be flown by Life Force to T.C. Thompson in Chattanooga. Her grandmother says she's endured forty hours of surgery since then.

"It's horrible, it's absolutely horrible," Copus says. "And she just cries she just wants to go home."

But through the pain Faith has shown signs of life. Her grandmother says Faith was chipper on Wednesday and even asked family members to take her picture.

"I think she's just trying to figure out how many body parts she has. Last night it was her legs she wants to get up and walk to see if her legs work," her grandmother says.

Those might have been the first steps forward for a princess who woke up in a nightmare that may last for months to come.

"And I just want to thank everybody for all of there prayers and phone calls, we've just had phone calls unbelievable," Copus says.

Faith's family says she will need more surgeries in the future and they're not sure what her insurance will cover. A fund has been set up to help pay for some of her medical expenses. If you would like to help, you can make a donation at any SunTrust Bank in the Tennessee Valley. All you have to do is make a donation out to the Faith Guelde Benefit Fund.

The family also says they want to try to get a leash law on the books on Lookout Mountain to help make sure this doesn't happen again.


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: dogofpeace; pitbull; spam
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1 posted on 06/17/2009 10:47:47 PM PDT by Chet 99
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2 posted on 06/17/2009 10:48:21 PM PDT by Chet 99
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To: Chet 99

Prayers going up for the little girls speedy recovery!


3 posted on 06/17/2009 10:54:31 PM PDT by GloriaJane (http://www.last.fm/music/Gloria+Jane/_/World+Peace?autostart)
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To: Chet 99

The only was to stop this BS is to charge the irresponsible owners of these pit-bulls with assault with a deadly weapon and in some unfortunate cases murder.


4 posted on 06/17/2009 10:56:11 PM PDT by trumandogz (The Democrats are driving us to Socialism at 100 MPH -The GOP is driving us to Socialism at 97.5 MPH)
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To: trumandogz
"The only was to stop this BS is to charge the irresponsible owners of these pit-bulls with assault with a deadly weapon and in some unfortunate cases murder."

There is another way- impose a tax on each Pit-Bull TYPE dog, $500 per dog per year, if they are neutered, $2000 if fertile, to local city or county government. Society really doesn't need these dogs at all.

5 posted on 06/17/2009 11:21:54 PM PDT by matthew fuller (Obama is methodically and DELIBERATELY destroying our Constitution and once great nation.)
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To: trumandogz
It still won't stop these ( Pit bulls = Killer Instinct dogs ) from getting lose and attacking innocent people.

6 posted on 06/17/2009 11:43:44 PM PDT by Prophet in the wilderness (PSALM .53 : 1 The FOOL hath said in his heart, there is no GOD.)
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To: Prophet in the wilderness

If you are going to have a dog, train it and be responsible.

And if you cannot control your dog, you are not ready to be a dog owner.


7 posted on 06/17/2009 11:49:02 PM PDT by trumandogz (The Democrats are driving us to Socialism at 100 MPH -The GOP is driving us to Socialism at 97.5 MPH)
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To: trumandogz

Dude if Dante Stallworth only got 30 days in jail— surely these pit bull owners aren’t worse than Dante Stallworth.


8 posted on 06/17/2009 11:53:20 PM PDT by exist
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To: trumandogz
If you are going to have a dog, train it and be responsible. And if you cannot control your dog, you are not ready to be a dog owner.

Exactly.

They're what you make them.

(pic found on web)

9 posted on 06/17/2009 11:58:35 PM PDT by SIDENET ("Join me or die. Can you do any less?" -Mr. Sparkle)
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To: trumandogz
The only was to stop this BS is to charge the irresponsible owners of these pit-bulls with assault with a deadly weapon and in some unfortunate cases murder.

Exactly.

10 posted on 06/18/2009 12:04:36 AM PDT by Misterioso (You've wondered where is the Twilight Zone? You're in it.)
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To: Prophet in the wilderness
From the article:

On Friday Faith's dog escaped from her families property. When she found the pet, it was fighting with a pit-bull in her neighbor's yard. Copus says Faith then tried to grab her dog but that's when the pit-bull attacked.

If Faith's dog had been properly secured, the dog fight wouldn't have happened. And who doesn't tell a child that you should never try to break up a dog fight? And what kind of dog did Faith have? Article doesn't tell. Could have been another pit, as far as we know.

11 posted on 06/18/2009 12:17:19 AM PDT by Judith Anne
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To: SIDENET
Baby tigers are cute, too:

When they grow up, they're something else:


12 posted on 06/18/2009 12:24:30 AM PDT by MyTwoCopperCoins (I don't have a license to kill; I have a learner's permit.)
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To: MyTwoCopperCoins

Pit bulls are you make them.


13 posted on 06/18/2009 12:25:32 AM PDT by SIDENET ("Join me or die. Can you do any less?" -Mr. Sparkle)
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To: SIDENET
Correction:

Pit bulls are what you make them.

14 posted on 06/18/2009 12:26:23 AM PDT by SIDENET ("Join me or die. Can you do any less?" -Mr. Sparkle)
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To: SIDENET

Probably. But I think animal owners should come under the same rules as someone owning a tiger as a pet, would. Especially the types with a history of violent behavior.

If the owners are made more aware of the consequences of not securing their animals propely, fewer of them will be lax in this regard.


15 posted on 06/18/2009 12:28:43 AM PDT by MyTwoCopperCoins (I don't have a license to kill; I have a learner's permit.)
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To: Chet 99
Simple make the owners post a One Million dollar liability bond.
16 posted on 06/18/2009 12:58:51 AM PDT by BigCinBigD ('When a man believes that any stick will do, he at once picks up a boomerang,')
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To: Chet 99

Prayers for that poor little girl.


17 posted on 06/18/2009 1:38:30 AM PDT by kenth
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Comment #18 Removed by Moderator

To: Abbeville Conservative; Chet

If faith’s dog had been properly secured it would not have escaped, gone into the pit bull’s yard, and there would have been no fight.

Apparently, Faith’s parents didn’t teach her to stay out of a dog fight. There is nothing complicated about that, it’s common sense. Far too few parents have common sense, I’ve noticed, and think that the world should be made safe for their children under all circumstances, instead of teaching their children the normal rules of life.

If you think that’s despicable, I hope you don’t have children. OR dogs. I have both, and none have ever escaped, gotten into fights, or been bitten. I’ve never had a pit bull, but I’m thinking about it, thanks to Chet99.

Again, I note that Faith’s dog breed wasn’t shown. For all we know, it could have been another pit.


19 posted on 06/18/2009 6:03:16 AM PDT by Judith Anne
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To: trumandogz
I have seen a pit bull jump the fence of my brother's neighbors yard .... these dogs are naturally aggressive...
20 posted on 06/18/2009 8:54:31 AM PDT by Prophet in the wilderness (PSALM .53 : 1 The FOOL hath said in his heart, there is no GOD.)
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