Triple dog attack left me with nightmares, says survivor

The pain of the victims of dog attacks throughout England and Wales and the subsequent geriatric trauma serves as testimony, many having gone into treatment over the last five years, in equal numbers. Among them is William Newbury, 22, who, in April, was mauled in a triple dog attack at a friend’s house while visiting with her baby in Cardiff. The injuries he took were ghastly. He even lost one of two fingers, further incapacitating him, and in fact, surpassing his income loss of £8,000.

William said that until passing out of the hospital following the attack, treatment was excellent; since then, life has been hard. His mental health has deteriorated because of the trauma; he finds staying home all the time hard. His confidence dropped, too, because of the visible scars on his arms, so he started wearing long sleeves to avoid undesirable glances whenever he went out.

The support of his girlfriend, friends, and family has been with him throughout it all, but William believes that very few people ever really understand the long-lasting effect such attacks have on their victims. Now, William is paying weekly for counseling services due to the long waiting lists for support through the NHS, and the service has really helped him.

William continues to love the dogs but keeps his distance now for fear. He expresses gratitude toward those strangers who helped in any way after the triple dog attack, mentioning specifically a garage that repaired his damaged car key for free and another that sent him a watch for cheer. William also paid tribute to his girlfriend, Jamie-lee, who was there when the attack took place and stood by him throughout recovery.

According to figures procured by BBC Wales, 2,910 people sustained dog bites and had to be treated over the last five years in Wales. In England, more than 43,000 reported incidents of a dog attack have been afforded serious consideration by the respective health boards and trusts between 2020 and November 2024. There has been a steady rise in recorded dog attack offences, say the police, with 32,568 recorded in 2024 — a 4% increase on the previous year. Experts say the real figures could well be higher because a lot of incidents go unreported.

Experts have warned that dog attacks have truly serious health consequences. Prof. Vivien Lees of the Royal College of Surgeons of England stated that certain cases may require reconstructive surgery and prolonged rehabilitation. She sought to stress that dogs can be wonderful pets but can pose serious risks when neglected, or poorly trained, or mistreated, and that awareness and caution are essential.

Another survivor, 22-year-old Erin Evans, was bitten by a dog on the side of the face four years ago while out with her friends. The trauma required reconstructive surgery on her upper lip for four years and emotionally devastated her. She had to quit her nursing degree eventually. Erin said the experience changed who she is and ripped her of confidence, yet she is still a dog lover with three dogs herself.

After the treatment was done, Erin goes in for a cosmetic tattoo on her lips, which gave her anew-found confidence. The work was carried out by the artist Imogen Hughes, who put up a social media post showing Erin’s incredible transformation that garnered over one million views. Since then, Erin proceeded to undertake a degree in childhood and youth studies and now hopes for a bright future. She would like someone to have assured her during those dark moments so that she can do the same for others going through the same thing.