A Tennessee mother has had her leg amputated after being mauled by her own pit bull, which she described as her 'best friend'. Amanda Mears, 42, was attacked on December 10 while trying to separate two of her dogs at her home in Murfreesboro.
Mears, a healthcare worker who often rescues dogs, had noticed that her mixed Pit Bull-American Stafford, Dennis, had been trying to attack her American Bully, Ralphie, whom she had been fostering since July. She had been keeping them apart, but on the day of the incident, Ralphie escaped from a bedroom as Mears was preparing to take Dennis for a walk.
When Ralphie rushed out, Mears tried to separate the dogs, but Dennis lunged at Ralphie. Mears jumped between them, and Dennis turned his aggression on her, biting her leg and refusing to let go. She used her other leg to choke him until he released her. During the attack, Dennis also bit her left hand and broke her right arm. Ralphie was unharmed.
Mears was taken to a Nashville hospital, where doctors told her she would need either amputation or at least a dozen surgeries to save her leg. She chose amputation to avoid prolonged pain and multiple procedures. After a week in hospital, she decided to have Dennis put down. 'He was my best friend, and I raised him from two weeks old. It was a decision that hurt, but it was not a difficult decision,' she said.
A GoFundMe page set up for Mears has raised over $7,400 to help with medical expenses. She was discharged on December 17 and faces more than $25,000 in bills. Mears recently lost her job and medical insurance, and has taken a pay cut with a new employer. She has been documenting her recovery on Facebook.
