Kyle Dyer, the veteran TV anchor who was bitten in the face by an 85-pound dog during a live broadcast earlier this month has spoken out about the frightening experience two weeks after her attack.
The veteran anchor of Denver’s KUSA-TV gave her first interview yesterday, proudly showing scars on her face, which include a V-shaped scar on her upper lip where skin had to be grafted.
Kyle Dyer told the Denver Post that the first thoughts that went through her mind after the Argentine Mastiff bit her was: “I’m bleeding, and it had to be on television!”
Despite the painful weeks of recovery, two surgeries, and the long road ahead, Kyle Dyer said she feels lucky and calls the attack “a fluke”.
“It could have been so much worse,” she said.
“It may seem like a superficial business, but the people out there in Colorado are not superficial,” Kyle Dyer told the Denver Post.
The TV anchor said she’s received an outpouring of support from people who have also been bitten by dogs and who are wishing for a speedy recovery.
“I just keep reading those letters and know that I’m going to heal. I’m going to be better than ever,” she said.
Kyle Dyer gave her first interview after she was bitten on live TV, proudly showing scars on her face, which include a V-shaped scar on her upper lip where skin had to be grafted
The news of the attack spread like wildfire around the world. Kyle Dyer said she personally witnessed the breadth of the news by way of her niece, who lives in Lithuania.
Kyle Dyer said her niece read about the attack in the town’s local newspaper. “There’s so many different learning things that have come out of this,” she said.
Kyle Dyer was injured February 8 while doing an on-air segment with the dog’s owner and a fire-fighter who had rescued the Mastiff from an icy pond in suburban Lakewood the day before.
She was petting the dog’s head seconds before it bit her.’
Over Valentine’s Day weekend, Kyle Dyer wrote on her Facebook page that her mouth was stitched shut so the graft over her lips could receive better blood circulation.
While more surgeries may be in her future, Kyle Dyer won’t know for certain until this summer, as doctors asses her progress.
Kyle Dyer, who had been working at the Denver station for over 15 years, underwent reconstructive surgery and over 70 stitches after the attack.
She said she harbors no ill will toward the dog.
“It was just an accident,” Kyle Dyer said, saying that she’s glad he is back with his owners.
Unless the dog has rabies – which it is not showing signs of – it will not be put down.
Even if the vaccinations are current, the dog’s owners will definitely face two charges from Denver Animal Care and Control: a penalty for having the dog bite someone and a second penalty for having the dog off its leash at the time.
“While we normally walk Max on-leash, we understand that by letting him off-leash in an open area away from anyone was still a mistake. We will never walk him off-leash in public areas after this,” the dog’s owners said in their statement.
Max was brought into the studio after the station’s news chopper captured video footage of a firefighter rescuing Max from a freezing pond Monday after he fell through the ice and couldn’t make it out.
“I know that she is a great journalist who loves happy stories – this was a happy story,” Kyle Dyer’s co-anchor Gary Shapiro said in a note to fans.
“Kyle was glad she got assigned to it, because she loves animals,” Gary Shapiro said.
Though she is out of the hospital, her recovery is just beginning.
Kyle Dyer, who is married and has children, is expected to take several weeks to return to work.
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Kyle Dyer, a veteran television anchor of Denver’s KUSA-TV, who was bitten in the face by an 85-pound dog during a live broadcast says she needed 70 stitches in her lips and nose and she still cannot talk.
Kyle Dyer wrote on her Facebook page over the weekend that she can’t talk because her mouth is stitched shut to let a skin graft take and so blood can circulate in her lips again.
The Facebook post says Kyle Dyer expects another procedure in the next few weeks.
Kyle Dyer was injured last week while doing an on-air segment with the dog’s owner and a firefighter who had rescued the Argentine Mastiff from an icy pond in suburban Lakewood the day before.
The veteran TV anchor was petting the dog’s head seconds before it bit her.
Kyle Dyer, who had been working at the Denver, Colorado station for over 15 years, had reconstructive surgery last Wednesday afternoon following the attack, and was released from the hospital Thursday afternoon.
In order to communicate, Kyle Dyer is using tools on her iPad to type out messages to loved ones.
Kyle Dyer was injured last week while doing an on-air segment with the dog's owner and a firefighter who had rescued the Argentine Mastiff from an icy pond in suburban Lakewood the day before
The dog, whose full name is Warrior Maximus, recently survived a harrowing rescue from a freezing pond and was on the show as part of a mini-reunion between him and his rescuers.
A video of Max trying unsuccessfully to find a way out of the pond was released last week, and provides some context for the background which led him to lash out the next day.
Though immediate reports said that the dog was not properly vaccinated and his owners have put out a statement saying that he was up-to-date with all of his shots.
“Max is current in his vaccinations. Max has no history of aggression. Max is a gentle, loving, family dog. Max is well mannered and obedient and he hardly barks,” said the dog’s owners The Robinsons in a statement.
“This incident truly is unfortunate and does not reflect Max’s disposition towards people.”
Now, Max has been caged by animal control officers and his owner, Michael Robinson has been fined.
In addition to comments wishing Kyle Dyer well, most Facebook respondents left angry messages blaming her for getting too close to the dog.
“I totally agree with all those saying it was her own fault and she should have known better,” wrote Cassandra Hughes Kramer.
“The dog was being a dog, defending itself in a stressful situation. He didn’t jump on her and maul her, he nipped her lip… and she shouldn’t have been trying to kiss him. Maybe it’s a hard lesson to learn, but hopefully she learned it.”
A number of viewers also expressed concern that the dog would be euthanized as a result of the incident, which was something they appeared angry about.
“It was clearly human fault. Why should the animal be blamed for both the owner a Kyle’s mistake?
“Hope he isn’t put down, it would be a crime,” wrote Bruno Naletto.
Unless the dog has rabies – which it is not showing signs of – it will not be put down.
Even if the vaccinations are current, the owners will definitely face two charges from Denver Animal Care and Control: a penalty for having the dog bite someone and a second penalty for having the dog off its leash at the time.
“While we normally walk Max on-leash, we understand that by letting him off-leash in an open area away from anyone was still a mistake. We will never walk him off-leash in public areas after this,” the Robinsons said in their statement.
Max was brought into the studio after the station’s news chopper captured video footage of a firefighter rescuing Max from a freezing pond Monday after he fell through the ice and couldn’t make it out.
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Veteran TV anchor Kyle Dyer in Denver, Colorado, was rushed to the hospital after a dog that recently survived a harrowing rescue bit her in the face during a live TV segment.
86-pound Argentine Mastiff named Max sunk his teeth into Kyle Dyer’s face when she bent down to pet him Wednesday during the morning show segment on KUSA-TV.
KUSA-TV’s news chopper captured video footage of a firefighter rescuing Max from a freezing pond Monday after he fell through the ice and couldn’t make it out.
Now, Max has been caged by animal control officers and his owner, Michael Robinson, has been fined.
TV anchor Kyle Dyer was rushed to the hospital after a dog that recently survived a harrowing rescue bit her in the face during a live TV segment
KUSA-TV says Kyle Dyer is in fair condition, recovering from the bite at Denver hospital.
A trauma team is evaluating the injuries to her face.
Michael Robinson says he was walking Max Monday when he saw a coyote and ran off after it.
Authorities say Max spend 20 minutes swimming in the pond before a firefighter in a dry suit dove into the frigid waters and pulled him to safety.
KUSA- TV station aired the harrowing rescue and invited the firefighter, Michael Robinson and Max into their studios Wednesday morning for a reunion.
That’s when Max attacked Kyle Dyer.
The station says the attack was not broadcast, but it later released a short clip of the bite.
Denver Animal Control Director Doug Kelley told CBS4 Denver Kyle Dyer’s injury was “a pretty major bite”.
Max, who did not have proper rabies vaccinations, will be quarantined 10 days to ensure he is healthy.
Michael Robinson was cited for a dog bite violation, having the dog off his leash and not having proper vaccinations.
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