Charlotte Potts, 32, required surgery after being viciously attacked by her dog, Blue, a one-year-old Cane Corso cross American Bulldog she adopted from a breeder on Facebook three weeks prior. The attack occurred on July 4 during a morning walk in an enclosed dog park in Hexham, Northumberland.
Attack Details
Blue initially showed no aggression, but during the walk, he suddenly turned on Potts. After she threw a ball, the dog looked at it, then at her, and lunged at her legs. Potts screamed for her eight-year-old brother to flee and raise the alarm. The dog tore through her trousers and punctured her legs multiple times. She then allowed the dog to bite her right arm to free her left arm to secure his lead to a fence. The ordeal lasted seven to eight minutes.
Potts, a personal trainer, said: "I was trying to wrestle him off me and shouting for help. I was in there for seven or eight minutes with him attacking me. If I was there any longer, I wouldn't have made it. My little brother watched it all happen. It felt like a really long time - I didn't think I was going to get out of there." She noted that there are six levels of dog bites, with six being fatal, and this was a level five.
Injuries and Surgery
Emergency services transported Potts to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, where she underwent two hours of surgery for injuries to her legs and arm. She was hospitalized for several days and now requires twice-weekly wound dressing changes. The dog pierced her bicep muscle and parts of her thigh. Potts credited her partner Rachel and her kickboxing background for helping her survive.
Police officers euthanized Blue at the scene. Prior to the attack, officers had visited Potts following an anonymous tip that she owned an XL Bully, but they determined Blue was an American Bulldog and did not seize him.
Call for Awareness
Potts had prior experience with similar breeds, having owned an American Bulldog cross Mastiff for eight years. She said: "I love dogs, but I want to raise awareness around making sure dogs are fully assessed before being rehomed." Despite Blue being fine on walks and showing no aggression initially, the attack was a shock. She emphasized the need for thorough behavioral assessments before adoption.
