Pregnant mother was left with her 'face hanging off' after she was attacked by friend's Akita dog(photos)

A pregnant woman was left with these life-changing injuries after a close friend's dog mauled her face until it was 'hanging off'.

Laura Holmes, 21, said she feared she and her unborn baby would die when the American Akita dog attacked her as she sat sending a text message.

The animal leapt up and tore at her face, ripping chunks of flesh from her mouth and cheeks, leaving her needing 60 stitches.

Friends then tried to drag the pet off her and only succeeded when they repeatedly kicked the dangerous dog, which was later destroyed.(continue)


The dog's owner has become the first in Britain to be prosecuted under tough new laws after failing to control the seven stone Akita.

Miss Holmes, from Nottingham, was rushed to Queen's Medical Centre, where surgeons battled to save her face and her baby.
Laura had to give birth to baby Nathaniel - now 15 weeks old - by C-section because doctors felt she may not be able to withstand the pain of a natural birth due to her injuries.

In a landmark prosecution, the dog's owner, Tracie Taylor, received a 16-week jail sentence suspended for a year and was ordered to pay Laura just £1000 in compensation.
Under new laws changed on May 13 - just a day before Laura was left with life-changing injuries - owners can be taken to court if the animal is dangerous and out of control...

'I've never been so scared. I was sitting in my friend's house sending a text - she'd had the dog for about seven years and I'd never even seen it growl before.

'I looked up from my phone and then I saw this dog launching itself at me - and before I knew it I was in the worst pain I'd ever felt in my life.

'My first thought was for my baby - I was terrified the attack would mean I would lose him. I was trying to scream and tear the dog off my face but he wouldn't let go.

'My friends were screaming and trying to grab the dog, but when it let go of my face it grabbed my leg - it was chasing me through the house. I would never normally hurt a dog but I had to start booting it to get it off me.

'I ran to the bathroom and stood over the sink. When I looked down I saw my own flesh had fallen into the sink.' The dog had already bitten someone else four years earlier, but due to the law at the time no prosecution had been brought.

Laura added: 'This never should have happened to me because it bit someone before but nothing was done about it. he dog chased me through two rooms - it wouldn't stop.

'There was no barking or growling - it just went for my face and that was that.

'My hair was soaked in blood so they cut it all off and I wasn't allowed to wash my face after the first surgery which took six and a half hours.'

Laura was operated on at Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham, and is due to have further facial surgery in December and is still struggling to eat and drink after the assault.

Nottingham Magistrates Court heard yesterday that it was the second time that the dog had attacked someone.

The Dog

Source: MailOnline