Recovery just beginning for Bullitt County boy after reported dog attack

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - “It was terrible, I mean, it was like a nightmare. I’ve never seen anything like that before,” said Desiré Rhorer.

It’s been one week since her 8-year-old son Kyson was reportedly attacked by a neighbor’s dog. The young boy needed hours of surgery and more than 300 stitches. Now he is doing his best to recover at home.

“A little bit of progress every day. He’s very determined to get back to playing outside and playing football, he plays football every year,” said Rhorer.

Desiré and her husband are taking time off work so they can take care of Kyson.

Rhorer says he was playing with a friend down the street on his scooter and went into the friend’s backyard to get a bike. That’s when she says the dog attacked, essentially scalping her son.

Rhorer says she and her husband have not fully processed what happened.

Kyson has appointment after appointment ahead as he recovers, everything from a plastic surgeon to an eye doctor.

If you’re wondering what’s happening to the dog, an Akita, the Rhorer family is hoping it can be rehomed after a 10-day quarantine to see if it has rabies.

“We will have to take it before a judge to see what the plan of action is from here. But we would like that! It’s unsettling a little that the dog is still here,” said Rhorer.

Right now their focus is on helping Kyson get better, and sharing their story so this doesn’t happen to anyone else.

Rhorer says her son had met the dog before but didn’t really know it very well.

“We even raised our kids with the knowledge that dogs can attack and to just beware of a dog you’re not familiar with and this still happened. Hopefully, people seeing this, it can help them just take an extra second to maybe have a conversation with your children or just be a little more aware,” said Rhorer.

With medical bills and two parents off work, the expenses are tough. The family has started a GoFundMe to help.