Teenager scared to leave house after friend's dog bit hand in Kirkcaldy house

A teenager has been left scared to leave her house after she was attacked by her friend’s dog while visiting their house in Kirkcaldy.

Cara Marshall, 17, required surgery on the tendons in her left hand after she was attacked by her friend’s Staffordshire Bull Terrier Pitbull when visiting their house on Sunday, November 20.

The teen was visiting her friend’s house when the dog escaped out the front door and sunk its teeth into her hand, requiring three people to overpower the animal.

Cara was taken to Victoria Hospital and underwent emergency surgery to repair tendons that were left ripped in her hand.

Cara said she is too “scared” to leave her house following the attack.

She told STV News: “I was going to see my friend as she was just back from England.

“I opened the gate and went into the garden, and the dog must have heard the gate close, and he came running down. I didn’t think anything of it because the dog knows who I am.

“I put my hand down so he knew it was me and that was when he attacked.

“He bit my hand for what felt like forever. I kept trying to pull my hand back so he would let go, then I turned my body to the right to get him off my left hand and he ripped the left pocket of my jacket and then went and bit my back.

“Then someone got him off me.

“All I remember shouting is that the dog was attacking me and screaming, my friends mum put the dog away and I kept shouting for them to phone the ambulance but they wouldn’t.

“Felt like I was going to pass out so I phoned them myself then one of my friends took over speaking to them because i couldn’t get my words out.

“The ambulance took me to the hospital where I found out he had ripped two tendons in my index finger.”

Cara spent three nights in hospital following the attack, where she successfully underwent surgery to repair the damage.

The 17-year-old, who has always been afraid of dogs, has revealed she remains in pain and is now scared to leave the house by herself “incase it happens again”.

She added: “I was in the hospital from Sunday until Wednesday afternoon where I got surgery to fix the tendons.

“I have always been scared of all dogs, even ones I know. I don’t want to leave the house by myself incase it happens again, and my hand has been in so much pain since the attack

“There is a risk it could rupture again and that my hand might not sit properly.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were made aware of a 17-year-old female having been bitten by a dog at a property in Kirkcaldy shortly before 7pm on Sunday, November 20.

“The female was treated at the scene by the Scottish Ambulance Service and the local authority’s dog warden has been made aware.

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”