MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE — Amanda Mears, a 42-year-old healthcare worker, was forced to have her leg amputated following a severe attack by her own dog. The incident occurred on December 10 inside her home when Mears attempted to intervene in a fight between her pets.
Dogfight Turns Tragically Violent
Mears was preparing to walk her mixed American Pit Bull-American Staffordshire terrier, named Dennis, when the animal lunged at another dog, an American Bully named Ralphie, who had escaped from a bedroom. As Mears stepped in to separate them, Dennis clamped his jaws onto her left leg and refused to release his grip.
"I ended up having to hook my right leg and my arms around him and choked him out to get him off me," Mears stated. During the struggle, she also suffered a crushed bone in her right arm and severe bites to her left hand, all while shouting for her 10-year-old son to remain in his room for safety.
Amputation Chosen Over Years of Surgery
Mears was rushed to a Nashville hospital where doctors assessed the damage to her leg, which she described as "basically hanging off." Presented with the option of undergoing 12 surgeries over two years or amputation, the single mother chose to have the limb removed below the knee to avoid chronic pain and a prolonged recovery.
She is currently recovering and is expected to be fitted for a prosthetic leg. A fundraiser has been launched to assist with her medical expenses.
Difficult Decision to Euthanize
Despite raising Dennis since he was two weeks old and describing him as her "best friend," Mears decided to have the dog euthanized to ensure the safety of her son.
"It was a decision that hurt, but it was not a difficult decision," Mears said, noting that the dog had never displayed aggression prior to the incident.
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