The deep wounds on 11-year-old Mariam’s arms, left leg and one shoulder are now bandaged. But the memories of the incident are still so strong that she has difficulty being around dogs. Then she is reminded of what happened and panics.
– I am terrified. I can’t see dogs, then I almost faint, says Mariam.
– I get scared and shake.
The family has lived in the area for eight years but after the dog attack they decided to move, according to the father Nawras Al Ahmed.
– My children don’t dare to go out. My daughter doesn’t even dare to look out the window. The children don’t cycle to school anymore because they are afraid, he says.
Instead, Nawras drives the children to school every day.
“The dog tries to eat Mariam”
11-year-old Mariam in Storfors dreams of becoming a professional soccer player. After school, she often takes the soccer ball with her and practices with her seven-year-old little brother on the street in the neighborhood. On one occasion they were attacked by two dogs.
One dog attacked her little brother Mohammed, but when he fell, the dog turned away, Mariam says. Then she felt the other dog bite her shoulder.
– One dog attacked me. It bit my shoulder and tried to bite my neck but I moved my head. I screamed and called for help and called for dad, says Miriam.
The seven-year-old ran to get help.
– He shouted: “Dad, dad come! The dog is trying to eat Mariam”. I went completely crazy, says Nawras Al Ahmed.
When he reached Mariam, she was bleeding profusely from her shoulder and arms.
– I was very sad and cried and called 911, he says.
“Absolutely hysterical”
Ulf Jansson from Storfors worked in a warehouse nearby and witnessed the attack.
– She was terrified and completely hysterical. She was lying on the hill and the dog jumped on her and played with her, he says.
Jansson runs after and holds the dog down to the ground. Then he leads the dog away from the scene together with the owner while Mariam is helped by passers-by and the father Nawras Al Ahmed. She was then taken to the hospital in Karlstad by ambulance.
After the incident, the family filed a police report. But the dog that attacked is still with the owner, says Nawras. Now the family wants the dogs to leave Storfors.
– They are a danger to all children, says Nawras Al Ahmed.
No hunting dog
According to Ulf Jansson, the dogs seem to have caught sight of the ball that the siblings were playing with. Since the attack, Nawras Al Ahmed has thanked Ulf Jansson with flowers for his efforts.
– If he hadn’t helped her, she would have died. One hundred percent, says Nawras.