KU student fears dogs after biting incident.

Kingston University student, Anya Douglas, who lives at the Seething Wells Halls of Residence told us about her experience with dogs, and how she has been bitten by one before.

Anya has now developed a fear of dogs because of this experience and said: “I am scared to walk around Seething, and just around the area in general”. This is in case a dog comes near her.

She was round a friend’s house, who happens to live in Surbiton, and was just playing with her dog. She has been to this friend’s house many of times before and has had no issues with her dog. Apart from it being very friendly and playful, she’s not the usual type to bite, but it has happened before.

Anya’s friend did mention how Winston, the Staffordshire bull terrier, had been playing up on that day, for no given reason, but Anya didn’t think much of it at the time. She was playing around with him when suddenly, he growls at her. Anya said: “That had never happened before, but I thought the best thing I can do is console him”.

She told us how in that moment she felt fearful but tried to remain composed to not startle him any further. Anya gently put him down, and as she did so: “he jumped onto me and started viciously biting me”.

Anya highlights that although Winston was wrong for biting her, dogs in general can read human body language very well, and he must have seen that she was hesitant to touch him, which made him defensive and therefore he bit her.

Anya’s friend quickly moved him away from her, but the situation in itself has left her with a fear of dogs.