Texas college student loses her ears, nose and lips after being attacked by dogs, lawsuit alleges
For an update on this story and an exclusive interview with Jaqueline Durand, click here.
A college student in Texas was "permanently and catastrophically disfigured" last month when she was attacked by a mix-breed German Shepherd and a pit bull, a lawsuit alleges. University of Texas at Dallas Jaqueline Durand was mauled the day before her 22nd birthday, according to the suit filed in Dallas County.
On December 23, 2021, Durand allegedly went to the home of Dr. Justin Bishop and his wife Ashley who had hired her to care for their animals while they were away. Days before the attack, Durand met both dogs in their home with their owner, and that visit was without incident, the lawsuit says.
"The owner assured Jacqueline that the dogs would be crated," her attorney Chip Brooker said in a statement. "But, shortly before her first visit, the owner texted Jacqueline to tell her that she failed to crate the dogs before leaving town. A sign on the front door read 'Crazy Dogs. Please Don't Knock or Ring the Bell. Call or Text Instead.'"
Two of the couple's three dogs, a mixed-breed German Shepherd and mixed-breed pit bull, immediately attacked her, the lawsuit says.
The dogs "violently and brutally attacked Jacqueline's face, tearing off her eras, nose and most of her face below her eyes, narrowly missing her carotid artery," the lawsuit alleges. "During this prolonged attack, the dogs tore all of Jacqueline's clothes off, including her blue jeans, and left puncture wounds all over the entirety of her body."
Durand is still hospitalized after suffering multiple life-threatening injuries, the lawsuit says. She has already undergone several reconstructive surgeries and will require many more, according to her lawyer.
Duran shared a message on Facebook on January 18 from her hospital bed.
"I am so blessed to be surrounded by so much love and support as I go through this hard time in my life. Thank you everyone who is supporting and loving me every step of the way since the beginning! I am making good progress every single day that I'm here. Prayers are being answered! Thank you," it read.
The dogs were captured and placed in the care of the City of Coppell before a municipal judge decided earlier in January that both animals should be euthanized, the lawsuit alleged.
In addition to the lawsuit, copies of the police incident report, the municipal clerk's record from the euthanization proceedings, and photos of Jacqueline from before the incident will be made available, CBS DFW reports.
"Jacqueline will forever measure her life in terms of before and after opening that door," Brooker said. "She will be permanently disfigured for the rest of her life, and we filed this lawsuit to make sure all the responsible parties are held accountable."