A Nevada woman continues to live with her beloved 11-year-old dog after he bit her nose off in a devastating, unprovoked attack.
Shayna Crimo, 31, was mauled by her Catahoula leopard dog named King on January 18, just days before her other dog, an almost 13-year-old pit bull named Krieo, was scheduled to be put down following his cancer diagnosis.
The heartbroken dog owner revealed in a harrowing TikTok that King bit onto her face and shook her, ripping off almost her entire nose and upper lip.
She had returned home from a paint and sip class with friends and was getting ready to go to bed when her cherished pup attacked.
‘As soon as I went to give him a hug and a kiss, he bit me immediately. There was no growl, there was no warning, he didn’t back up, he didn’t make any noises, nothing. It happened so fast,’ Crimo said.
‘I remember the sensation of being shook, which was horrible, and then I ran into the bathroom, saw what I looked like, screamed bloody murder for [her boyfriend] to call 911.’
Crimo explained she adopted King when he was a puppy, and the dog has never attacked her or anyone else.
‘I know he does not like to be messed with at nighttime; that’s a boundary of his that I’ve respected for almost 11 years, hence why nothing like this has ever happened,’ she said.
Shayna Crimo, 31, was mauled by her Catahoula leopard dog named King on January 18
The heartbroken dog owner revealed the attack happened just days before her other dog, an almost 13-year-old pit bull named Krieo (right), was scheduled to be put down
‘If he’s sleeping and it’s nighttime, he doesn’t want somebody in his face. I learned this because he would growl at me, so I stopped doing it.
‘But he wasn’t laying down… he was sitting up at the edge of the bed. He’s never given any warning signs or acted aggressive or anything, being fully alert and sitting there like that.’
Crimo lost most of her nose and is undergoing forehead flap surgeries to reconstruct the area.
Two days after her first surgery, she had to proceed with her older dog Krieo’s euthanasia.
She said King has not been put down yet because she does not feel ready to handle the emotional toll of the loss.
‘These dogs literally grew up with me. I’ve had them for over a decade… they are my children essentially,’ Crimo said.
‘Do I want to put King down? Absolutely f*****g not. I would rather stay home for the remainder of his life and never go anywhere, never have to have babysitters, and just be extra careful, but that’s not an option.’
Crimo shared they had made a euthanasia appointment for King but decided to reschedule because she was concerned the crying could infect the wounds on her face.
Crimo lost most of her nose and is undergoing forehead flap surgeries to reconstruct the area
Crimo’s 11-year-old Catahoula leopard dog named King (pictured) bit onto her face and shook her, ripping off almost her entire nose and upper lip
Crimo (pictured with King) explained she adopted King when he was a puppy, and the dog has never attacked her or anyone else
‘The appointment was set [for Sunday]. I cancelled it because I’m not ready, and I want to be able to grieve. I don’t want to have to hold myself together because I don’t want to cry too much and risk messing anything up,’ Crimo said.
‘I cancelled it for now. It is not an easy decision to make… People think I’m crazy because I still love my dog.
‘We are not keeping King. I am just not ready to do anything about it yet. There is nobody else coming into the house unless he is secured in the room. We are taking necessary precautions so I can process things and be ready.’
Crimo has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money for the multiple procedures she will need to recover from the attack.
‘I just can’t believe how extreme it all is. My heart is in absolute shambles,’ the fundraiser said.
‘Between the cost of the euthanasia, the multiple surgeries I will endure (I’ve only had the first so far), months of missing work, and, let’s face it, I’ll need some serious therapy. I am feeling extremely helpless for myself.
‘This will be a long, long journey for myself and my loved ones. Anything will help and would be appreciated beyond measure. My heart needs the most healing of all. Prayers, please.’