A quiet afternoon shattered in Cullman County, Alabama, on November 7th when a nine-year-old girl became the target of a brutal attack. Delyla McCay was simply sitting on the front steps of her apartment building with her older sister, enjoying a peaceful moment, when a blue heeler suddenly lunged.
The dog clamped its jaws onto Delyla’s face, shaking its head with terrifying force. Her screams of pain – “Mommy, it grabbed my face and it was just shaking!” – echoed with the raw terror of a child facing unimaginable pain. Her sister, McKenzie, watched in helpless horror as the attack unfolded.
Before anyone could react effectively, a teenager, witnessing the unfolding tragedy, sprang into action. Without hesitation, he rushed forward, bravely intervening in the violent struggle. He began punching the dog repeatedly, a desperate attempt to force it to release its grip.
The teenager’s courageous efforts finally paid off, and the dog reluctantly let go of Delyla’s face. But the ordeal wasn’t over. The blue heeler, still enraged, turned and attacked again, this time sinking its teeth into the child’s back.
Delyla suffered devastating injuries to both her face and back, injuries that will require extensive plastic surgery and a series of rabies shots for a full recovery. Her mother, Katie McCay, described the attack as something “I’ve never dealt with nothing like that in my life,” emphasizing her daughter’s gentle nature – “She’s so sweet.”
The quick thinking and selfless bravery of the teenage rescuer undoubtedly prevented even more severe harm to Delyla. He himself sustained bite wounds during the rescue, a testament to his willingness to put himself in harm’s way for a stranger.
Following the attack, Cullman County Animal Control took action, and the dog was humanely euthanized. The community is left grappling with the shock of the incident and the long road to recovery that lies ahead for young Delyla.
