Student's thumb bitten off in 'terrifying' Dundee attack by suspected Pitbull

The Courier

24-04-2025

An American exchange student has recalled the moment her thumb was bitten off in a 'terrifying' dog attack at a Dundee park.
Leah Satterlee moved to the city with her two service dogs – Siberian Husky Hamlet and Great Dane mix Atticus – at the beginning of the year.
However, just a few weeks later she took her dogs to Beechwood Park in Lochee, where she sustained the 'life-changing' injury.
The 37-year-old said: 'I was on the phone with my friend at the park when, all of a sudden, I heard a dog bark from the other side of the park.
'It managed to push through the gate and headed straight for Hamlet, quickly grabbing him by the throat.
'I dropped my phone and Atticus and ran over as fast as we could.
'I kept trying to hit the other dog with my left hand until it turned black and blue.
'It finally let go of his throat before turning to bite Atticus when it bit my right hand instead.
'I felt the bite at the time but with the adrenaline pumping, I didn't realise the severity of it.
'At this point, I managed to kick it away before it ran off and I tried to calm down my dogs.'
Leah says there was 'blood everywhere' at this point before she looked down and noticed her thumb was missing.
'I was almost sick looking at it, it was completely severed,' she added.
'I ran to grab my phone and turned on the torch to search for my severed thumb, finding it on the ground.
'All I had on me was poo bags so I put it in there.
'In my panic I called 911 – the emergency number in America – but thankfully it was directed to the local control room.
'At this point, I began to have a panic attack and an asthma attack but the police and paramedics arrived a short time later.'
The Dundee University history and anthropology student says the offending dog was dark-coloured and possibly a Pitbull.
There was no sign of the dog's owner.
Leah spent four days in Ninewells Hospital after the attack.
She underwent reconstructive surgery on her thumb and doctors were able to save her nailbed.
Following the attack, officers stayed with Hamlet and Atticus before taking them to the vets.
Atticus was left with superficial wounds, including a swollen snout that 'looked like he had been stung by bees several times'.
Meanwhile, Hamlet 'nearly lost his eye' after suffering a puncture wound.
Leah said the incident left her shaken and has made her dogs more anxious around other canines.
She said: 'I've been battling depression since I lost my thumb, it's definitely lowered my self-confidence.
'It hurts when I wake up, for a split second I forget all about it, but then I look down and I'm hit by a wall of emotions.
'I often try to hide it when I'm out and about and will switch hands in public so people don't see it.
'It still feels different and weird, I'm embarrassed by it.'
Leah has set up a GoFundMe page, having spent most of the money she came to Scotland with on vet bills, medicine and paying others to walk her dogs while she was out of action.
She wants to make others aware of her experience so it doesn't happen to them.
Leah added: 'It certainly was a terrifying experience.
'I have worked with dogs for many, many years and never had experienced anything like this.
'I know Pitbull's are not inherently dangerous and can be sweet and loving dogs.
'Given the attack happened in an area with a lot of kids and elderly people it's important to make people aware of the severity of situations like this.'
Police Scotland say there has been no trace of the offending dog, or its owner three months later.
A spokesperson said: 'At 8.10pm on Friday, 31 January, 2025 we received a report of a woman being injured by a dog at a park near Calderwood Close, Lochee.
'A 37-year-old woman was taken to Ninewells Hospital for treatment and later released.
'Officers attended and extensive enquiries were carried out.
'However, the dog has not been traced.'