Mum left with lip ‘hanging off’ after dog attacks her at barbecue

A mum’s been left with permanent scars on her lips and nose after she was attacked by a dog at a neighbour’s party. 

Amber Esala was enjoying the 4th July celebrations when a German Shepherd got spooked by the fireworks and went for her face. 

The network marketer, 26, had been sitting in the garden with boyfriend Kyle, 24, and friends on Independence Day in Virginia, USA. 

The neighbours were looking after the dog which became increasingly agitated due to the loud noises and then savaged Amber as she sat on the floor. 

Amber’s upper lip was left hanging off and her nose sliced through after the shock attack. She was rushed to hospital by ambulance and spent 10 hours in A&E while she waited for her face to be stitched up.

She said: ’My friend and I were sitting on the ground with a German Shepherd that our neighbours happened to be watching for the night. This particular dog seemed nice yet a little frightened due to the fireworks being set off.

‘I remember it being quiet and then we heard a loud boom of fireworks down the street. The last image I had was staring at this dog face to face. I remember the dog’s eyes locking with mine before it attacked me.

‘I came back to reality when I got up and the blood came pouring down. I was so confused and all I could remember was saying: “My face, my face is messed up.”

‘Half of my lip was hanging off and my nose was sliced all the way through. I couldn’t believe this was happening.’

Amber’s 11-month-old daughter Raelynn was asleep when the attack happened and Amber worried she would be frightened of her due to her injuries. As soon as Amber arrived home, Raelynn embraced her, and her doubts disappeared.

She said: ‘The surgeon did an amazing job, he talked me through everything and I remember him saying: “I’m treating this as if this were my wife and I would want the best possible care”. It was very comforting knowing that he was taking this ever so seriously.

‘It took the whole night and we got to go home the next morning around 9am. I had to get a rabies shot because I wasn’t sure if the dog had been given a rabies vaccine.

‘As I walked out of the hospital all I could do was cover my face. I was ashamed. I was embarrassed. I was scared. The number one thing I thought about was going home to my daughter and her being scared of what she could see.

‘As we returned home it was the first time that I had seen my daughter since the accident and she scrunched her little nose and gave me a big hug.

‘What I loved most is the fact that everybody around me had this sadness in their eyes and they were hurting for me. However, my daughter looked at me like I was her biggest superhero. Seeing my daughter made me want to be strong for her.’

Over a month since the accident, Amber suffers from night terrors and sometimes feels sad when she looks in the mirror. Although she finds it difficult to smile due to the loss of sensation in her face, she is determined to not let herself be defined by her scars and is instead embracing them as a sign of being a warrior.

The state where Amber lives has a two-bite rule when it comes to dog attacks and the dog who attacked her is now taking obedience classes – remarkably Amber doesn’t blame anyone for her accident.

Sharing her story on Instagram has been incredibly therapeutic as she has been able to help others.

‘I love reaching out and helping people,’ she said. ‘I love seeing my story make a difference. Opening up and being vulnerable on social media has helped me emotionally in so many ways.

‘It is such a healing experience. I have many people who are truly moved by my journey and I want to continue to change lives and create awareness.

‘There was no one at fault, it was a lapse in judgment. At the end of the day we as people let our guards down too easily and that is something that we need to realise; animals are animals they have animal instincts and if they’re scared or frightened they can attack. We need to be more cautious when around all animals even if we think we know them.’

Amber now hopes to use her experience to help others who may have experienced similar attacks and help them to come to terms with the changes in their appearance. 

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