Jaqueline Durand, 22, who says she was attacked and mauled by two dogs last year on December 23, has filed a lawsuit against the pet owners. Durand’s attorney, Chip Brooker of Brooker Law, said in a press release that the attack left the UT Dallas student “permanently and catastrophically disfigured.”
According to the lawsuit Durand filed in Dallas County, Durand went to the home of the dog owners, Dr. Justin Bishop and his wife Ashley, on January 23. She said the couple hired her to care for their animals while they were away.
The lawsuit alleged that two of the couple’s three dogs, a mixed-breed pit bull and a mixed-breed German Shepherd, attacked Durand immediately after she opened the door.
Brooker says the attack left Durand with multiple life-threatening injuries and severe puncture wounds all over her body. The college student suffered the loss of both ears, lips, nose, and most of her face.
According to the lawsuit, the two dogs were captured and placed under the care of the City of Coppell. A municipal judge later ruled that they should be euthanized.
Brooker said that Durand, who is still at the hospital, has undergone multiple reconstructive surgeries and will require more.
On January 18, Durand posted a message on Facebook in appreciation of the love and support she has received after the attack. “I am so blessed to be surrounded by so much love and support as I go through this hard time in my life,” she said. “Thank you everyone who is supporting and loving me every step of the way since the beginning!”
Durand added that she is making progress every day as she remains in the hospital.
As of the time of this article’s publication, no statement was readily available from the dog owners named in the suit.
It’s normal to love our dogs, they are family, but then to realize they are dangerous to others sets a different standard. Jaqueline is lucky to be alive, but may carry physical scars for the rest of her life. The dog owners must not have known the aggressive nature of their dogs. Had they left them before for a stranger to care for them? The dogs were protecting their territory, but barking is the norm.
A barking or growling dog would keep me in my car until the owners came out. If This young lady was hired to care for the dogs while 5he owners were away, she did nothing wrong.