'I'm not scared of any dogs now' says girl mauled by rottweilers

RHIANNA Kidd, the ten-year-old savaged by two rottweilers, has described for the first time the horror of the attack, after leaving hospital.

Rhianna, was discharged after a week in hospital in Dundee, where she was treated for a number of serious injuries. Yesterday she spoke of her nightmare experience.

"I was riding my bike to my granny's house," she said. "I stopped at the side of the road to look left and right, like I've been told, before I crossed over the road.

"Then I saw the dog, and it and another one circled me. I pedalled my bike really fast. They were growling at me. One started barking and then it grabbed me off my bike.

"One of the dogs was dragging me along the road. They were biting me."

Rhianna went on to describe the bravery of her grandmother, Irene Grady, 56, who came to her rescue on the morning of Sunday, 20 August.

Speaking from Mrs Grady's home in Dryburgh Street, Dundee, where she is convalescing just yards from where she was attacked, Rhianna continued: "I remember my granny came across the road and protected me. She took me in to her house but the dogs were following me.

"Granny tried to get me to calm down because there was blood on me. I was scared because I didn't know what was going to happen to me.

"I knew I'd been bitten by the dogs and it was sore.

"I love my granny for helping me. She was brave and I was brave too."

Mrs Grady, still in her nightclothes, ran into the street after witnessing her grandaughter being attacked by what she has described as "fighting machines".

Mrs Grady, said: "I was watching her cycle towards me. The next thing I knew, three dogs - two rottweilers and one rottweiler puppy - had surrounded her. They were like bulls.

"I shouted to Rhianna 'keep pedalling' but one of the big dogs just grabbed her off the bike. One started biting her arms while the other went for her legs. She got up but they just knocked her back down."

Rhianna underwent plastic surgery to severe gashes to her right arm and leg. Her jaw was also broken in two places. She had hundreds of stitches in her face, neck, arms and legs and to reattach part of her left ear, which was almost bitten off.

But Rhianna, whose arm and leg remain in bandages, said she was recovering, and was thrilled to be at home with her family and Casper, her grandmother's Yorkshire terrier.

She said: "I'm feeling good. I'm itchy under my bandages on my arm and leg, but my stitches aren't sore.

"The best thing about being allowed to go home is getting to see all my family - and especially my granny's little dog Casper. I'm not scared of him. I'm not scared of any dogs now.

"I've been outside. The first place I went was to Tesco with my mum. We also went to Toys R Us. Some people sent me some money so I bought two Club Penguin games."

A 33-year-old-woman has been charged in connection with the attack. The three dogs involved in the attack were put down by a vet.

The incident has reopended the debate on dangerous dogs, with a law passed by the Scottish Parliament earlier this year being implemented by local authorities. The legislation aims to punish the owners rather than ban certain breeds.

Within a week of Rhianna's ordeal, two other girls were attacked by dogs in Scotland. Toni Clannachan of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, suffered facial wounds in an attack by a Japanese akita. Last Saturday, Gemma Horne, two, suffered was bitten on the face in a dog attack in North Berwick.