Brave Ellie recovering after brutal dog attack

Ellie Palfrey (13) was on her trampoline when the dog managed to get into her garden.

She knew that her smaller cousin may be in danger and went to get an adult, however, as she began to move, the dog followed Ellie and attacked her.

She was left with 14 stitches in her back, and more on her arms after the savage attack in Lomond Gardens, Methil.

She was rushed to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy,

Ellie’s mum, Carle Hunter, said she was proud of her for trying to protect her cousin.

“I couldn’t be any prouder of her, the fact that she put her wee cousin first.

“It’s a really big dog. To not even think about yourself and think ‘she’s going to get seriously hurt, I better do something’. She said that she knew if it got her cousin it could have killed her she’s so small.

“It was through the fence and under the trampoline when they were bouncing on it. It’s bitten holes through the trampoline.

“The dog got her down and dragged her about the garden.

“She’s now terrified to go into her own garden.

“She’s had tonnes of support. Everybody’s been fantastic. At the hospital we got a row for having too many visitors. My son’s 21, and she knows all his friends from being around the house. They all turned up at the hospital with balloons and everything. She was delighted.

She keeps saying ‘I want to cry because of everybody’s kindness’.

Ellie said: “I was a bit worried when it first came into the garden.

“I thought I was going to die. I just went into shock.

“My upstairs neighbour came down because he heard me shouting.

Ellie said the support she’d had from friends and family had been “amazing”, but she’s now out of the hospital and she says she’s on the mend.

“I’m a wee bit better, kind of sore and achy, but I suppose that’s normal.”

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Police in Fife can confirm that a 23-year-old man has been arrested and charged following a dog attack in Lomond Gardens, Methil.

“The incident happened on Thursday, July 20. A 13-year-old girl sustained injuries to her back and arm.

“She was taken to Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, for treatment and was later released.

“A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal. The matter has also been referred to Fife Council’s Dog Warden.”

Graeme Anderson, Fife Council technical officer of dog and pest control, said: “Fife Council is investigating this matter under the Control of Dogs Scotland Act 2010.

“An officer authorised under the Act will carry out an investigation and if they identify that the dog is ‘out of control’, the owner will be either offered advice, issued a warning letter, or have a Dog Control Notice (DCN) served on them.”