An Arizona woman who was forced to have an arm amputated after being mauled by a stray dog she was fostering has detailed her agonizing ordeal.
Speaking from her home, 25-year-old Kalista Munoz recounted the attack – and the 18 arduous surgeries that followed.
The saga began back in July, she said – after she took in a stray a friend had picked up, which proceeded to get in a fight with one of her other four dogs.
She recalled attempting to drag the once-abused mutt to her backyard, before finding herself cornered in a bathroom.
A series of vicious gnaws ensued, she said, of which her left arm absorbed the worst. The attack continued for a total of nearly 30 minutes, the grad student went on – until neighbors heard her cries. They proceeded to dial 911, likely saving her life.
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Kalist Munoz, 25, was forced to have an arm amputated after being mauled by a stray dog she was fostering back in August. She detailed her agonizing ordeal in an interview Monday
Speaking from her home in Arizona , 25-year-old Kalista Munoz recounted the attack – and the 18 arduous surgeries she’s undergone since
The saga began back in July, she said – after she took in a stray a friend had picked up, which proceeded to get in a fight with one of her other four dogs. It remains unclear what became of the mutt – seen here in a more placid state -but needless to say, the two have been separated
‘I didn’t think I was going to die,’ a defiant Munoz told KTVK of her mindset at the time. ‘I knew I wasn’t going to die like this.’
While her life was saved, her arm – left savaged by the dog’s onslaught – would later be forfeit, she eventually recalled.
First, though, the outspoken animal-lover described how she came into possession of the canine – who she said was found by a friend roughly three months before the fateful encounter.
Remembering how she took him in until he could get adopted, she said,’ This dog was a stray, and someone I knew had originally got him because they had found him
Adding that the dog came from a background of abuse, Munoz – also the owner of four cats – recalled how Zona and one of her dogs got in a vicious fight.
‘On July 1, he escaped from my room,’ she recalled, while also sharing images of the pup in a more placid state.
‘He had a cone on, but with no hesitation, he darted downstairs,’ she added.
In a panic, she tried dragging the more than 50-pound pooch away from the altercation – and to bathroom where he could be locked away.
Following her 18 surgeries, he recalled attempting to drag the once-abused mutt to her backyard, finding herself cornered in a bathroom
The attack continued for a total of nearly 30 minutes, the grad student went on – until neighbors heard her cries, she told AZ family in a sitdown Monday
Still smiling and petting her other dogs, she revealed how the Good Samaritans proceeded to dial 911, likely saving her life
‘I didn’t think I was going to die,’ a defiant Munoz said of her mindset at the time. ‘I knew I wasn’t going to die like this’
However, during the struggle, she also found herself trapped – with the dog keeping her inside as well.
‘I eventually got trapped in there,’ she told AZ family, while vehemently disclaiming that she does not want her experience to deter others from fostering animals before they are adopted.
Motioning to her lost limb, she stated: ‘By the time that I could grab the door, unfortunately, all of this part of my arm was already chewed out.’
For nearly 30 minutes, Munoz’s plight continued, she said – that is, until her next-door neighbors heard the commotion and called police.
After another 15 minutes – according to the woman’s GoFundMe – cops arrived on the scene, and were able to pry the woman from the dog’s maw to safety.
It remains unclear what became of the mutt – but needless to say, he was removed from the residence.
Munoz – still carrying battle scars on her remaining arm as proof of the encounter – remarked: ‘I always say I danced with the devil, and I looked him straight in his eyes.’
While her life was saved, her arm – left savaged by the dog’s onslaught – would later be forfeit, she recalled, after more than a month on the mend in a local hospital
Calling her road to recovery ‘a roller coaster,’ she said she also had to stay attached to IVs for several weeks after losing the limb, but still managed to keep her spirits high
Now back home with her assortment of other pets, a remarkably upbeat Munoz went on to express adamance that the incident would not get the best of her, and told AZ Family how she is now back to pursuing her master’s degree in social justice at ASU
Motioning to her lost limb, she stated: ‘By the time that I could grab the door, unfortunately, all of this part of my arm was already chewed out’
Munoz went on to spend a month in a hospital, where she underwent 18 surgeries, and eventually had to get her arm amputated.
Calling her road to recovery ‘a roller coaster,’ she said she also had to stay attached to IVs for several weeks after losing the limb, but still managed to keep her spirits high.
As for the dog responsible for her life-altering injuries, she said she does not harbor any ill will.
Instead, she said how she wants to use the incident to shine a light on the trauma and abuse inflicted on animals, and the inherent dangers such actions pose.
‘He was a really good dog, but something was abused and imprinted in him, that wasn’t good.’
Now back home with her assortment of other pets, a remarkably upbeat Munoz went on to express adamance that the incident would not get the best of her, and told AZ Family how she is now back to pursuing her master’s degree in social justice at ASU.
Seen happily petting her other pets during the revealing sitdown, she said she is also holding down a job.
As for the dog responsible for her life-altering injuries, she said she does not harbor any ill will. ‘He was a really good dog, but something was abused and imprinted in him, that wasn’t good,’ she said
She went on to add: ‘It wasn’t hard, but there’s days where it does affect me, where I’m like, ‘Why can’t I, you know, just have my hand back”
‘It wasn’t hard, but there’s days where it does affect me, where I’m like, ‘Why can’t I, you know, just have my hand back,” she said, six months removed from the brutal attack.
Still working and pursuing her Master’s degree, Munoz said she hopes her outlook can serve as inspiration to others going through similar struggles.
‘I shouldn’t have to postpone my life any more because something bad happened to me,’ she said. ‘There’s beauty in tragedy.
‘I believe my journey is someone else’s survival guide.’ DailyMail.com has reached out to Munoz for comment.