SCARRED15 FOR LIFE
Three girls savaged by vicious dogs will bear marks of nightmare attack
THREE young girls who were bitten by dogs in a savage attack at the weekend have been left scarred for life.
Two 12-year-olds and an 18-year-old were hospitalised after suffering horrific wounds in the incident, with the eldest saying she’s been left with a fear of dogs.
It was first thought the canines may have been deliberately dumped at the entrance to the Avila Park halting site and housing estate in Finglas, North Dublin, but now it is believed they could have escaped from a back yard.
One has since been put down and the other is in the pound with an owner understood to have handed himself in to gardai. Helen Collins was the first to be attacked and was bitten on the arm and leg.
The 18-year-old said: “I was coming up home and the two dogs came out of my garden.
“One latched on to my arm and the other grabbed my leg.
“I don’t know how I got one off, but I hit the other off the wall and threw myself at my aunt’s gate and threw myself on the ground and my cousin locked the gate.
“After that I can’t really remember, just the pain and being frightened.
“I was never afraid of dogs, but after this I won’t be able to go near one.”
Helen is still walking Irish Mirror story Michael Collins’ van One of the dogs is taken away with a limp and is in a lot of pain. Her younger sister Katelynn also suffered appalling bites.
Blood could be seen smeared down a fence and splattered on the footpath where the terrified youngster attempted to escape.
Luckily for Katelynn, Michael Collins arrived to visit his mother and got out of his van to rescue the youngster.
He used his phone to hit the dog and some kicks to its throat saw it finally release its grip, with traumatised Katelynn falling into his arms.
As he put her in his van out of harm’s way one of the dogs left the estate and the other attacked 11-year-old Dina Collins who suffered three bites to her arm as she tried to protect herself.
Michael said: “I came in and Katelynn was on the fence, the dog was not biting her – it was actually locked on to her and
Bite wound on Katelynn Collins’ leg Helen Collins was bitten on legs and arms
its back legs were off the ground. She would have been torn limb from limb. The biggest dog must have been seven or eight stone in weight.
“What I saw on the day, I’m never going to forget it.”
The younger girls were treated at Temple Street Children’s University Hospital, while Helen went to Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown.
Dina has since been readmitted to Temple Street with a possible infection as a result of her wounds.
One of the dogs was cornered in a front garden and removed by gardai and a dog warden.
Michael called for tighter controls on some breeds and more responsible ownership, adding: “People have been killed by dogs.”
Gardai said investigations are ongoing.