Woman Requires 200 Stitches After Dog Nearly Destroys Her Ear

On January 9, a woman from North Platte, Nebraska had to be sent to surgery for the personal injuries she suffered after being bitten by a dog.

According to her daughter, 49-year-old Betsy Fowler required 200 stitches to close the wound. Her ear was torn into 27 pieces and barely held together by cartilage.

Fowler’s daughter, who asked that her identity not be made available, said that her mother was bitten by a bull mastiff/American bulldog mix after slipping and falling on ice around 6 p.m. The dog’s owner was identified as Wes Hawkins. Fowler’s daughter said that she did not personally witness the incident.

Lt. Rich Hoagland said that police responded and have not yet determined exactly what happened in the incident. He said they do know that Fowler was involved in a disturbance with another woman and the dog became involved during that disturbance.

Police are uncertain of the relationship between Fowler and the other woman.

Hoagland said that police cited Hawkins for a dangerous dog violation. The dog is at the shelter, awaiting a court decision as to whether or not it is a danger. Hoagland noted that dogs that bite are not automatically considered dangerous if there are mitigating circumstances.

Police said that this isn’t the first incident in which the dog in question bit someone. Hoagland said that a previous incident resulted in a 10-day quarantine for the dog.