'There was blood everywhere'

Amelia Harris From: Herald Sun March 23, 2010 12:00AM

THE daughter of a woman whose arms were almost ripped off by a pit bull cross said the family's nightmare was like something out of a horror movie.
Kathy Bonic, 67, was attacked by her grandson's dog, Rocky, in her Portland flat.

The Alfred hospital staff last night were trying to save Mrs Bonic's right arm.

Neighbours Mick and Martin Jacobsen threw a rubbish bin at the pit bull-staffordshire cross in a desperate bid to rescue Mrs Bonic.

Daughter Carol Kusuba made the 400km journey to Melbourne last night to be with her mother.

Mrs Kusuba said she rushed to her mother's house after her teenage daughter rang and told her about the attack.

"There was blood everywhere. It was like watching a movie," Mrs Kusuba said.

"It's still hard to believe it happened. He didn't let go."

Witness Colin Parfett said the scene was like "walking into a murder".

"There was blood all up the walls," Mr Parfett said.

"She was in a bad way."

Mrs Kusuba said she supported the local council's decision to put the dog down.

"My mum's life is a lot more important than the dog," she said. "He was a family pet. It bothered us to some level, but not to the level where we're not going to put him down."

Mrs Kusuba said Rocky had never been aggressive and had spent the past three years happily living with her mother.

"We never thought for a minute ... this would happen," she said.

"She adored him."

Rocky lashed out as Mrs Bonic tried to usher him into another room about 11am.

He began gnashing her right arm, so she put up her left arm to try to defend herself.

The dog mauled both arms and her face.

She was still conscious when paramedics arrived but had lost a lot of blood.

"She was fully aware and conscious and very distressed," MICA flight paramedic Justin Nunan said.

"She's quite aware of really how severe her injuries are.

"The crew at the scene said there was quite a lot of blood and everybody at the scene was very distressed."

He said Mrs Bonic suffered massive muscle and skin damage to her right arm.

Surgeons were trying to restore nerves and circulation.

A Glenelg Shire Council spokeswoman said the dog was not known to the council before the attack.

From: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/there-was-blood-everywhere/story-e6frf7kx-1225844490946