A WOMAN who had her face mauled by a dangerous dog now lives with permanent scars and constant fear.
Lauren Chandler was attacked by the French mastiff while working at Gouldings Care Home, on the Isle of Wight, on July 21 last year.
The Dogue de Bordeaux, called Winnie, sunk its teeth into the 44-year-old after being brought in by a visitor.
It lunged at Lauren as she bent over to make a cup of tea, mauling her lower lip and chin.
The horror left her with permanent facial scarring and a phobia of dogs.
Lauren is now taking legal action against her employer, the Isle of Wight Council.
She claimed if risk assessments had been carried out, the council would have been aware of the dog’s previous attacks.
The care home worker is also demanding tougher sentences for irresponsible dog owners.
Winnie’s owner Jason Turner was handed an 18-month suspended sentence at the Isle of Wight Crown Court on September 12.
The 51-year-old pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog.
Winnie was returned to Turner, despite evidence of her history.
Lauren said: “I’ve worked in care for years because I love helping people. I’ve always loved animals too – and I still do.
“But this attack has changed everything. I’ve been left with scars that I see every day, but it’s the loss of confidence and the constant fear that really stays with me.
“I worry about coming into contact with pets, about whether their owners are responsible, and whether my children and those around me will be safe.
“To hear in court that this dog had attacked someone before, and yet was still brought into a care home with vulnerable residents, was incredibly hard.
“What if it had been one of the people I was looking after? They wouldn’t have been able to defend themselves.
“I love dogs, and I don’t want to see them unfairly judged. But if there are signs a dog may be a danger to others, owners must act before it’s too late.
“Please take it seriously — because I don’t want anyone else to go through what I have.
“It doesn’t seem right that a dog that has now attacked two people can be placed back in the care of the same individual.”
Eduardo Fountoura, a solicitor representing Ms Chandler, said: “Dog attacks can result in serious, lasting injuries that affect every aspect of a person’s life.
“This was a dedicated care worker doing her job in a place where she had the right to feel safe – and now she’s living with long-term consequences.
“Responsible dog ownership is not optional – it’s a public safety issue. We’re supporting our client through this ordeal, and we hope her courage in speaking out leads to greater awareness and change.”
This comes after The Sun reported last week how a nine-year-old school girl was heard screaming in terror as she was mauled by an XL bully-type dog in a horrific attack.
The schoolgirl, Eva, was subjected to the vicious assault as she walked home from a local shop with her mum.
Elsewhere, a horrified mum was convinced her five-year-old autistic son “had been killed” after he was mauled by a dog in a park.
The mutt injured his eye, ears and cheeks during the horror attack leaving him needing surgery.
