I was punched in the chest by a huge XL bully who ‘CHASED’ me before attacking – monster targeted my neck, says teenager – The Sun

A teenager is lucky to be alive after being attacked at work by a rescued 50 kg XL bully.

Gilana Milner, 19, was working at an animal rescue center when Hugo the dog jumped on her while she was changing his water bowl.

The huge dog dragged her to the ground, mauling her chest and legs. Staff had to fight him off when he refused to open his mouth.

And even though she was “ragged” for five minutes and her wounds required emergency surgery, Gilana does not blame the dog.

She still works with animals and has always dreamed of working for the RSPCA.

And she still believes that the government ban on XL bullies is unfair, since the dogs are not to blame for their aggressiveness.

Gilana, from Wakefield in Yorkshire, said: “I’m lucky to be alive. He was just messing with me and there was nothing I could do – I just screamed and screamed.”

“(But) I do not agree with banning them – if dogs have problems, it is because of past trauma or the way they have been treated by people.”

Recalling the attack, she added: “I kept trying to get to the door.

“They target the major arteries in your legs. When they have you on the ground, they target your neck.

“I thought about my mom all the time. I knew I was going to die, but I didn’t want to.

“I kept looking at the dog and thinking he couldn’t be real – it was like a nightmare.

“If there had been no one in the yard to hear my screams, the dog would definitely have killed me.

“I love my job, but I guess the only downside is that you never know if the kennel you enter will be the last.

“I wasn’t afraid of the dog, but he would stand there and stare at me while I was cleaning.

“I know now that they do this while they are tracking you before they attack.”

The dog lived on the streets before being brought to Flushdyke Dog Boarding & Rehoming, where Gilana worked for more than two years.

During the attack in May 2023, she was alone cleaning kennels because a colleague was taking a break.

Gilana then went into Hugo’s kennel and was about to get his water bowl to fill it up when he jumped up and bit her in the chest.

I’m glad I’m still alive. He was just messing with me and there was nothing I could do – I just screamed and screamed.

Gilana Milner

The dog was sprayed with a pepper spray-like substance, but did not let go of Gilana, so staff had to fight him off and drag him out of the kennel.

She was treated at the scene in an ambulance for an hour and a half and then taken to Pinderfields Hospital where she underwent two hours of surgery on her legs and chest before developing an infection.

Some of her legs are now so sensitive that it hurts to touch them. She feels numb in other places.

She is now starting a new job as a nursing assistant at a veterinarian’s office and is waiting for specialist advice.

However, a month after the attack, she returned to work, although she had difficulty walking.

She said: “I was really keen to get back to work. I’ve wanted to help dogs since I was five and I still want to be an RSPCA officer.”

“I’m getting used to the pain and scarring, but I don’t think I’ll fully recover.

“I still have dreams a few nights a week where the seizure happens. It’s horrible – I wake up hyperventilating.

“I was in terrible pain. I needed so much morphine. The infection could have caused me to lose my legs.”

“I’m pretty strong, but I honestly don’t know how I got up during the attack. XL bullies are really, really strong.”

Despite her ordeal, Gilana says she is against the ban on XL bullies.

Since December 31, 2023, it is illegal to sell, give away, abandon or breed an XL Bully.

And since February 1, 2024, owning an XL Bully without a special permit is a criminal offense.

I was in terrible pain. I needed so much morphine. The infection could have caused me to lose my legs.

Gilana Milner

Gilana said: “They do not attack more than other dogs, but their attacks are life-threatening.

“I think it’s enough if they wear a muzzle and are on a leash.

“I agree that you need a license to keep an XL Bully.

“But the problem with the ban is that they all get thrown away and we rescue them – that means a lot more work for us.”

“Since the ban, they have come every day, sometimes three a day.”

A spokesman for Flushdike Dog Boarding and Rehoming Services said: “We were all very shocked – all the staff involved were in tears.”

“I can’t imagine the impact this has had on Gilana and we’ve spent a lot of time trying to help her.

“Even if we have a large enough number of dogs to require more than one person per shift, all employees work independently, so it’s normal for one employee to clean a kennel alone.

“If a dog were to show signs of aggression, we would have to have more than one staff member working with him at all times, but this dog had been with us for over three weeks and showed no signs of aggression: everyone loved him very much.

“Everyone on the farm would have heard if someone started screaming, and our staff did everything they could to get the dog away from Gilana.

“All staff carry walkie-talkies, but Gilana couldn’t reach hers because the dog had bitten her in that spot.

“Since this incident and after consultation with Gilana, all employees carry their walkie-talkie and a can of bite spray in a chest strap.

“We were investigated by the Health Department, RIDDOR and our insurance company after this incident and they concluded that we did everything we were supposed to do.”