Carer Savaged By Alsatian

A community worker savaged by an Alsatian dog said she thought was going to die during an horrific attack. Janine Webber was in hospital for nine days, needed four operations and a skin graft on her right leg. She has to use a zimmer-frame to walk and said her life has been “devastated”.

“Every time I shut my eyes I see him coming at me,” said Mrs Webber, 47, from Blackwood.

The carer was arriving for work at a house in Cefn Fforest on November 16 when the eight-minute attack took place.

The dog, normally kept in the back garden during the day, was inside the front door as Mrs Webber pushed it open.

She said: “He must have thought I was his owner, who was in the garden, and was surprised when he saw me.

“He lunged at me, and although I tried to pull the door shut he was too strong and had his head through it, and he pushed it open.”

The adult dog grabbed hold of Mrs Webber’s right leg and wouldn’t let go.

“I just couldn’t get him off,” she said. “I tried getting his mouth open with my hands but he just moved on to my other leg. It was absolutely horrendous. I thought my leg would come off.

“I was screaming but it went on for about eight minutes before the owner came in. I thought I was going to die.

“She tried to pull him off but couldn’t, so I told her to get some water to throw on him. That got him off but he was still trying to lunge at me again.”

Mother-of-three Mrs Webber was taken to Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital where she had four operations including a skin graft from her hip to her lower right leg, where she was left with very little flesh. She does not know when she will be able to walk again and says she is in “agony”.

The dog has since been put down, Mrs Webber said.

A Gwent Police spokeswoman said the incident had been reported to the police but that no action had been taken by officers because the attack happened on private property.

Mrs Webber says she will take legal action.