My best friend in elementary school was attacked by a dog and had to get 16 stitches in her face. I always felt like it was my fault.

When I was in the 4th grade, me and my best friend always walked home together after school. We never took the school bus. One day I had a dentist appointment, so my mom had to pick me up from school and since she wasn't there to walk with my friend, she had to take the bus that day. She always hated riding the bus, but I think that day, was the day she was attacked. She lived in an apartment complex that had a few woods in the back. I think she always cut through the woods to get to her apartment instead of walking on the sidewalk. It saved her some time walking in the woods, and she said there was always a lot of kids in the woods after school. Anyway, during her walk, this dog and its owner were there. The dog was on a harness, but not a leash. So it was pretty much off-leash. My friend said she didn't notice them until she heard the dog growling. The dog attacked her and ripped her whole cheek apart. Her glasses were all bloody. She needed 16 stitches.<br><br>Somehow she managed to get home. The dog's owner didn't help her get any help. Even the other kids just stood there as she cried in blood and pain. She said the dog's owner kept shouting at her that she should have kept walking and not stopped. My friend had to walk all the way to her apartment alone. Her mom rushed her to the hospital. I found out the next day in school. She had to get 16 stitches and had to skip school for a week. I don't think the dog's owner was held liable.<br><br>I can't help but feel like if I was there, I could have helped distract the dog and saved her from getting such a bad injury. But I think it's crazy to think I could have been able to do that. But I still can't help but feel like maybe I would have noticed the dog earlier than she did and we could have both ran like hell out of there. I hope that dog is dead by now.<br><br>EDIT: Wow, didn't expect so many replies. Thanks for the support, guys :)