Austin toddler injured in dog attack; family begins fundraising campaign for therapy

Ryan Maxin, Austin American-Statesman
Updated ·2 min read
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A toddler is recovering after a dog attack in an East Austin neighborhood left him with bite marks and what his family described as "obvious signs of psychological trauma."

Chante Wright-Haywood and her son CJ were attacked by a dog in their driveway in the Austin Colony neighborhood on the morning of Nov. 21, according to doorbell camera video footage posted to Wright-Haywood's Facebook account. Video shows the dog pouncing on CJ as Wright-Haywood struggles to grab her son and rush inside her house.

"This dog literally attacked my baby!!! I was able to get him off out in the yard, but he literally would not let up, my baby suffered bite injuries!!! I am SO UPSET!" Wright-Haywood wrote in her Facebook post.

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In the video, Wright-Haywood appears to grab her son off the ground by one arm and run toward her front door while the dog jumps and nips at CJ. Wright-Haywood fends off the dog with her body and feet while screaming for those inside to open the door.

Once they were inside, family members barricaded the door with their bodies, according to video of the incident. The dog did not relent, though, smashing a potted plant on the porch and breaking the hinges off the front door frame, according to Wright-Haywood's Facebook post.

Wright-Haywood contacted the Travis County sheriff's office and Animal Control Services, which was able to capture the dog. The dog is in quarantine, Wright-Haywood said.

CJ's family starts GoFundMe campaign

CJ's aunt, Cierra Wright, set up a GoFundMe campaign in the aftermath of the attack to raise money for CJ to get therapy, according to the campaign's description. She wrote that doctors have recommended therapy to help CJ avoid an aversion to dogs as he ages.

"Within the past few days CJ has become more and more fearful and emotional. The flashbacks of this trauma continues to replay over and over in his head," Wright wrote. "His mother just wants her sweet, loving, carefree, innocent baby back. At this time Chante is desperate to do whatever it is she has to do to ensure that CJ gets back to being the carefree toddler he once was."

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Wright also wrote that CJ often looks at his bite mark in the mirror and says, "Dog, dog, dog, dog bite me, I scared" over and over. He has refused to play with toys that resemble four-legged animals and has developed a severe fear of other dogs, she wrote.

The campaign has raised $200 of its $10,000 goal. CJ's family asked for those who are unable to donate to pray for them or share the GoFundMe link with others.

Chante Wright-Haywood defends her son CJ from a dog that attacked them in their East Austin neighborhood.
Chante Wright-Haywood defends her son CJ from a dog that attacked them in their East Austin neighborhood.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Dog attack leaves Austin toddler with bite marks, trauma, family says