Tulsa Family Outraged After Dog Attacks 9-Year-Old Girl

NewsOn6.com & Lacie Lowry, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- A Tulsa family is outraged after they say their 9-year-old daughter was attacked by a pit bull.  Mackenzie Johnson received deep lacerations on her legs and upper body.

"I can't go outside and play anymore. I have to be stuck in here all the time," she said.

The incident happened December 10th. Mackenzie was at a friend's house, swinging in the back yard, when a pit bull attacked her.

"I was halfway to the door and then the dog ran and grabbed my leg and started ripping into my leg and then I started punching it and I finally got it off and then it got my throat," she said.

Mackenzie had to get several rounds of rabies shots and her injuries were horrific. Her dad wants the state to get tougher on dogs that attack, because nothing has happened to the dog who attacked Mackenzie.

"The worst part was the fact of not being there to do something, so I've got to do something," Shane Johnson said.

Johnson says they've racked up well over $30,000 in medical bills. Before this, Mackenzie had never had a broken bone or stitches.

"I was like, wow, this is really happening to me. This was the first time I ever got seriously hurt. I was always healthy and everything," Mackenzie said.

Mackenzie has to go to physical therapy, still has several plastic surgeries ahead and probably won't get to go back to school until the fall.

Tulsa Animal Control says they tried to bring the pit bull in for ten days of observation, which is state law.  But they couldn't find the dog and no one would claim it.

So they gave the homeowner a citation for failure to surrender and then they closed their case, because they say that's all they are allowed to do by law.