A mother and her daughter sustained permanent injuries after being attacked by a dog while returning home from shopping. Tanya Kanstantsinava, 37, was walking on the street on September 5 when a dog of bully breed nature lunged at her, knocking her down and biting her neck as she reached her doorstep in Coatbridge, Scotland.
During the attack, Tanya’s 14-year-old daughter, who remains unnamed at her request, rushed out of the house to help her mother but ended up being bitten on the lip by the dog in the process. The violent incident came to a halt when Tanya’s partner, Andrejs, intervened and managed to pry open the dog’s jaws to free Tanya.
In an interview with the Daily Record, Tanya described the terrifying experience, stating that the sudden attack left her in shock as the dog viciously bit her face and neck. She expressed immense gratitude towards Andrejs for saving her life, emphasizing the traumatic impact of the incident on their family.
Following the attack, Tanya and her daughter were promptly taken to Monklands Hospital and later transferred to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for treatment. Tanya received stitches for deep wounds on her neck, nose, and chin, while her daughter underwent emergency surgery to repair her severely injured lip.
Photographs revealed the severity of their injuries, with visible bite marks on Tanya’s neck and chin, along with bloodstains on the walls of their residence. Tanya, who had previously reported the aggressive behavior of the dog to the council, now expressed fear and reluctance to leave her home due to the traumatic event.
The dog’s owner, a 28-year-old woman, was arrested and charged after the incident and has been released on bail. The police seized the dog following the attack. A spokesperson for Police Scotland confirmed the details of the incident and the subsequent actions taken by law enforcement.
Additionally, a representative from North Lanarkshire Council stated that any dog-related attacks are initially handled by the police under the Dangerous Dogs Act, with potential follow-up actions under the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010. The council had received a complaint from Tanya in July regarding the neighbor’s dog’s aggressive behavior, leading to an investigation by the Dog Warden and a warning issued to the dog owner.
The council cooperated with the police’s inquiries regarding the previous complaint, emphasizing their commitment to addressing dog-related incidents in the community.