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.
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.
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You are assuming facts not in evidence. The article does not say that the fight occurred in the pit bull’s yard, only that the dog fight happened in a neighbor’s yard.
It would be great to check further, even look at some comments, but unfortunately, Chet99’s link doesn’t work today.
first I got a 404, then I did a search, which came up with this:
“Your search - pitbull mauls girl - did not match any documents.”
Okay, the article came up after those results.
Still no comments.
I noticed the link did not work as well.
I’m 51 and have never not had a dog. Will always have them. Usually more than 1.
But a pit pull, or as the completists would have it, an American Staffordshire Terrier, not a chance.
I’m more into the goofy breeds, goldens and labs, as they better reflect my own personality.
A pit bull bit a girl in town, and the girl went to the hospital. Apparently, there’s a statute in this state now (CO). The owner was charged with unlawful ownership of a dangerous animal or something like that. The pit bull was taken from the residence. Word has it that the neighbors in that community were already fed-up with pit bulls before the incident occurred.
Hey,we mite have a law here soon to help with this problem :
http://stopbsl.com/2009/06/17/louisiana-dog-attack-measure-passes-full-senate-not-bsl/
“Dog-attack measure passes full Senate
By SARAH CHACKO
Advocate Capitol News Bureau
Published: Jun 17, 2009 – Page: 4A
Owners of dogs that attack people could be subject to negligent homicide charges under legislation that passed the full Senate Tuesday.
House Bill 155 would allow prosecutors to pursue the charge, which means dog owners could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and fined up to $5,000.”
~~~
It should be 10 and 10 to match the anti dog fighting law!
Prayers Up for that little one...
Word has it that the girl was a teen and was bit on the hand or arm, while the dog was on a chain. ...friend of the family, perhaps.
I’m glad that LA will probably pass that law and hope that they will. Here, there’s still no adequate remedy for the civil courts. I’ll find the CO statute. But my guess is that an attack probably has to occur, before charges can be filed. And, of course, people have the right to defend themselves, not that such recourse is available to kids out playing in towns without armed adults present.
Civil courts won't do much good in these cases,,,
Most of the time the thugs/etc. won't have anything to take.
The victim and/or the taxpayers get stuck with a big bill.
I would hope the law would give a 2nd offender 20 years in
Angola state pen,,,No Parole...
Grandfather Ping.
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