Advertisement - Continue Reading Below dog attack that nearly took her life. She now has PTSD from the incident and is afraid to run outside again, but after a judge’s recent court ruling, the woman, Rachel Drew, will no longer have to worry about being attacked again by that specific dog.
When the incident occurred, Drew was midway through her six-mile run along a path by the river. Totally unprovoked, the dog, a 15-month-old boxer-rottweiler mix named Frank, came up behind her and jumped on her shoulders, knocking her to the ground. He clamped onto her arm and dragged her across the grass while Drew screamed for help and tried to be as still as possible to minimize the damage.
Part of Big Sur Course Falls in the Ocean dog released its jaw, she fled into the river to escape. Frank’s owner, 47-year-old Barbara Costello, meanwhile, was holding onto the leash of her other dog, and could not control the off-leash boxweiler or get him to respond to her calls.
A witness heard what he described as “blood-curdling screams,” and came to the riverbank to try to help. Passersby said the dog paced the riverbank snarling at Drew, and when they tried to help her out of the water, he lunged at her again. A man was eventually able to restrain the animal, allowing Drew to escape with her life, but she nearly lost her arm.
Drew had to undergo plastic surgery on her arm, and the bites caused deep puncture wounds and nerve damage that left her in constant pain for several months following the attack. According to reporting by The Daily Mail, her injuries were ranked as a level five on the Dunbar dog bite scale, with the highest level of six being for fatal injuries. A doctor told Drew that if it had been a child in that situation, they would have likely died.
The dog owner pleaded guilty to being the person responsible for a “dangerously out of control dog causing injury,” and was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay the equivalent of around $100 USD in costs and almost $200 as a “victim surcharge.” Costello pleaded with the judge to let her dog live, but the judge placed a destruction order, ruling that it was a dangerous dog that posed a risk to the public.
What happened to Drew is terrifying, completely avoidable, and could happen to any runner. It’s incumbent upon every dog owner to Meb Keflezighi Has a Goal for Boston This Year in public areas, no matter the time of day. Going for a run should not carry the risk of being mauled or killed.
Abby Carney is a writer and journalist in New York. A former D1 college runner and current amateur track athlete, she's written about culture and characters in running and outdoor sports for Runner's World, Health & Injuries, The MTA Wants to Charge NYC Marathoners, and other outlets. She also writes about things that have nothing to do with running, and was previously the editor of a food magazine.
