Every parent’s greatest nightmare: their beloved pet mauling their kid and leaving terrible wounds.
That’s what TikTok user Klara Tsetkin found herself in when her cocker spaniel Bart attacked her small daughter, Milana.
Though many people would give their pets up for adoption or have them euthanized, the mother’s decision to retain her dog has split the internet.
Despite this, Tsetkin, from the United States, believes that her dog ‘never attacked’ the kid and that he was acting in self-defense during the accident three years ago.
At the time, Bart the dog was suffering from an unknown ailment, and he found a place to hide in the family house while he recovered.
Milana, who was just three years old at the time, failed to comprehend why Bart was so upset and continued to play with him as normal.
“He was very ill!” And attempted to hide behind the bed… “His hind legs gave out, and he couldn’t crawl away,” Tsetkin revealed on TikTok, adding, “My three-year-old daughter didn’t understand that the dog needed to rest today and not be touched.”
Unbeknownst to her mother, the toddler proceeded to climb on Bart, and the dog lashed out in agony as it fought to escape in its frail position.
Milana was bitten on the face during the turmoil and was subsequently treated for her injuries, needing numerous stitches.
Though the bodily injuries were repaired, the event split the family and caused Tsetkin to divorce her husband after she retained Bart.
The internet was similarly split when the mother-of-two explained her choice, with many TikTok viewers expressing their outrage on the video site.
One reader even suggested that the dog may hurt another person, writing, “So how are you going to feel after the next attack?” This is completely reckless. Give your dog to a responsible owner. if you can’t stop thinking about it.”
Others agreed, with one saying the mother had placed her family in danger.
Some users, however, have been more sympathetic to the untenable position, arguing that the event was a one-off and not typical of Bart’s actions in general.
One TikTok user even remarked in the comments that the episode was simply another example of how women are supposed to be great moms.
Some even commended Tsetkin for keeping her dog despite the disaster and congratulated her on her daughter’s subsequent recovery.
