PHOENIX (KPHO/Gray News) – A woman who had to have her arm amputated last year from a dog attack says she does not blame the dog for what happened.
Kalista Munoz, 25, wants people to understand that dog aggression is caused by trauma they suffered from being abused in the past.
In July, Munoz was fostering a stray dog named Zona, who ended up getting into a vicious fight with one of her other dogs.
“He escaped from my room which is where he was. He had a cone on, but with no hesitation, he darted downstairs,” she said.
In a panic, Munoz says she tried breaking up the fight and dragging Zona to her backyard, but found herself cornered in the bathroom. She was trapped in the bathroom for nearly 30 minutes, calling for help as the dog latched on to her arm.
“I didn’t think I was going to die. I knew I wasn’t going to die like this,” Munoz said.
For nearly 30 minutes, she screamed for help until her neighbors heard her and called the police.
When police arrived, Munoz was taken to the hospital where she spent several days in a coma and underwent 18 surgeries. She suffered from a severe infection on her arm, causing her to have to get her arm amputated.
“I always say I danced with the devil and looked him straight in his eyes,” she said.
Munoz hopes her journey can help encourage others going through similar experiences. She is still working and pursuing her master’s degree.
“I shouldn’t have to postpone my life because something bad happened to me. There’s beauty in tragedy, and I believe that my journey is someone else’s survival guide,” she said.
Munoz is encouraging others to continue to foster animals. While she’s held off on fostering for now, she is still enjoying the company of her own four dogs and four cats.
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