by San Tan Valley, AZ – A mother is recovering after surviving a violent dog attack inside her home, an ordeal she says nearly cost her life in front of her children. The incident involved a 5-year-old mastiff named Odin, a dog her family had been temporarily caring for and one she believed was gentle and familiar—until the night everything changed.
A Routine Night Turns Terrifying
For about a month, Cara Newell had been caring for Odin, describing him as a large but affectionate presence in the house. He slept beside her bed, rested on the couch with her, and got along with her two dogs, Malibu and Korra. There had been no previous signs of aggression, she said.
Everything shifted on Friday night when a fight broke out between Malibu and Korra. With her children watching and begging her to intervene, Newell rushed in to separate them.
“My kids were there to witness, so I felt like I needed to do something,” she said. “I’m trying. I’m trying. I’m trying.”
Once the dogs were apart, Odin was accidentally let inside the house. What happened next was immediate and without warning.
The Attack That Nearly Turned Fatal
According to Newell, Odin walked straight toward her—silent, tense, and lethal.
“Odin literally came straight to me, no sound, no growling, and just took me on and tried to kill me,” she said.
The mastiff clamped down on her back, jaw, and arm, tearing off part of her ear in the process. As the attack continued, her children desperately tried to summon help throughout the house.
They attempted to use Alexa devices to call 911, but none responded.
“I cannot die in front of my children,” she recalled. “I have to keep going. I have to get this dog off of me, because I don’t want to die in front of my kids.”
In a moment of terrifying bravery, her 7- and 8-year-old children pulled at Odin until he finally released her.
“There’s no way that I would have made it out of there if it weren’t for my kids,” she said.
Hours of Surgery and a Long Recovery Ahead
Paramedics rushed Newell to the hospital, where surgeons spent hours repairing the damage to her face, ear, and upper body. The days since the attack have been physically painful and emotionally draining.
“It’s been a test of patience, for sure, but also it shows how precious life is,” she said.
Her children, who witnessed the attack from only a few feet away, are still processing the trauma. Newell expects both will require therapy in the coming months.
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A Warning to Other Pet Owners
Newell hopes her story prevents similar tragedies. She believes the mastiff’s sudden violence was triggered by the ongoing fight between her two female dogs and the heightened tension in the room.
“If they weren’t fighting, and I opened that door, he would’ve come right in wagging his tail like he always did.”
She emphasized a warning many people have heard but often ignore:
“I’ve always heard you don’t get in the middle of a dog fight. You don’t get in between dogs when they fight. But no, literally, don’t do it. Don’t do it because you’re gonna die.”
As she continues to heal, Newell hopes her experience helps other families recognize the risks and respond cautiously in moments of chaos.
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