A recent incident in Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province, where a young girl was attacked by a pack of dogs, has drawn widespread attention. According to The Paper, on the morning of January 6, Xiaomeng (pseudonym), a 3-year-old girl from Yuwan Town, Daguan County, Zhaotong City, was attacked by several dogs while playing in front of her home. She suffered multiple lacerations and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
On the 8th, Jiupai News contacted Xiaomeng's father, Mr. Ma. He stated that after a six-hour emergency surgery that day, Xiaomeng is still in the intensive care unit, unconscious.
Regarding demands for accountability from the dog owner, Mr. Ma stated that his immediate priority is to get his daughter medical attention. The origin of the dogs is currently unknown; he hadn't seen this group of dogs before, and the investigation will have to wait for the results from the local police station. Because the incident occurred in a rural area where houses are spaced far apart, the investigation will take time.
Local government officials confirmed to the media that all the dogs involved had been chained up and kept in a room. Further research will be conducted on the management of dogs in rural areas.
[1] "Multiple lacerations to the skin all over the body" and remains in a coma.
According to The Paper, Mr. Ma recalled the incident, stating that his child lived with her grandparents in their rural hometown, while he and his wife worked away from home. On the morning of the 6th, Xiaomeng was playing in front of their house. Recently, due to pig slaughtering in the countryside, the air was filled with a strong smell of blood, attracting many stray dogs. Xiaomeng has loved cats and dogs since childhood, and when she saw these dogs, she greeted them warmly. Unexpectedly, the dogs suddenly attacked the child, not only biting but also dragging her.
A 22-second surveillance video shows that at 8:01 a.m. on the 6th, Xiaomeng, who was wearing a red coat, was initially chased by a black dog and a yellow dog. She turned around and screamed. Then several other white dogs appeared from all around her, making a total of seven or eight dogs around her.
"When the family heard the child's heart-wrenching cries, they rushed over and found her covered in injuries, even the soles of her feet and ears were not spared," said Ms. Ma. The child was taken to the First People's Hospital of Daguan County for emergency treatment, but the county hospital was unwilling to admit her due to the severity of her injuries, so she was transferred to the First People's Hospital of Zhaotong City by ambulance.
A medical certificate issued by the First People's Hospital of Zhaotong City on January 6th shows that the patient was diagnosed with multiple skin lacerations, head injury, and drowsiness. The patient was admitted to the hospital due to "pain for more than 5 hours after being bitten in multiple places by a dog" and still needs to continue hospitalization.
Medical certificate. Photo/The Paper
The surgery began at 2 PM on the 6th and did not end until 8 PM that day. Mr. Ma roughly estimated that Xiaomeng needed three to four hundred stitches all over her body, and the child was immediately transferred to the intensive care unit after the surgery.
He told Jiupai News that after the incident, he immediately called the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, hoping to obtain rabies treatment medication. However, because the center stipulated that the medication should be used within its premises, he would need to take his child there. Since Xiaomeng's injuries were severe, sending her there for vaccination was "impractical," so Mr. Ma called the municipal government hotline and received assistance.
When the medication was retrieved, Xiaomeng's surgery was still ongoing. She didn't finish her rabies vaccination until after 9 PM on the 6th. During the surgery, the doctor also gave Xiaomeng a tetanus vaccination. However, it is currently unclear whether the medication was effective.
According to Mr. Ma, due to the severity of her injuries, doctors were concerned that she might scratch her wounds and cause a secondary infection if she woke up, so they administered a sedative to Xiaomeng. The child remains unconscious.
[2] The priority is to cure my daughter's illness; it cannot be delayed.
"The chance of infection is 100%, it depends on the size of the infection area," Ma said. He added that because Xiaomeng's injuries were serious, the hospital invited multidisciplinary experts to consult on further treatment plans.
He added that during treatment, the child was allergic to an anti-inflammatory drug, which might affect the recovery process, but fortunately there were alternatives. He learned from the doctor this morning that Xiaomeng's vital signs are gradually returning to normal.
According to Jiupai News, Xiaomeng's parents are currently waiting for their child to wake up at the hospital, accompanied by several staff members from the town government and village committee.
Mr. Ma also revealed that the government provided financial assistance after the incident. He learned this morning that several thousand yuan in relief funds had been deposited into his account.
He explained that since Xiaomeng was hospitalized, many kind-hearted people have come to the hospital to visit and donate money. Some people left their contact information and left because they did not see Xiaomeng, who is still in the intensive care unit, hoping to come and visit again after the child wakes up.
Mr. Ma stated that Xiaomeng's initial treatment costs around 300,000 yuan, and due to financial pressure, they have launched a crowdfunding campaign on Waterdrop Crowdfunding. Subsequent costs will depend on the severity of her illness, and it is estimated that a significant amount of further treatment will be required.
On the afternoon of the 8th, the Waterdrop Crowdfunding page for Xiaomeng's fundraising showed that the target amount was 300,000 yuan, and "the fundraising has ended and the target amount has been reached."
"Fundraising has ended" notification. Image/Shuidichou
When asked about pursuing legal action against the dog owner, Mr. Ma stated that his priority now is to get his daughter treated. If the hospital's medical resources are limited, he will transfer her immediately, as her condition cannot be delayed.
He added that the origin of the dogs is still unclear, and he had basically never seen these dogs before. The specifics will depend on the investigation by the town's police station. Because the incident occurred in a rural area, and the houses are quite far apart, the investigation will take time.
According to The Paper, local government officials confirmed that all the dogs involved have been chained up and kept in a room. Further research will be conducted on the management of dogs in rural areas.
