A heroic gran was horrifically mauled after wrestling a pitbull to protect her two toddler grandchildren - before driving herself to hospital dripping in blood.
Rhonda Stickney says her neighbour's dog lunged at her daughter Tiffani, 27, grandson Jaxsyen, four, and Keyahra, two, on April 23.
The 50-year-old claims she didn't think twice about putting herself between the children and the aggressive mutt, which had launched itself at them in the doorway of her home.
However the giant dog dragged her outside by her leg before taking chunks out of her face and arm.
The gran-of-five claims she eventually managed to grab hold of the dog's jaw to stop the biting until the owner came over to wrestle it off and drag it inside.
Shocking photos that Rhonda took while still injured show her driving herself to hospital with blood pouring down her savaged face.
Meanwhile other images show the deep wounds - one very close to her eye - and extensive bruising from the horrific attack.
Rhonda, from Motley, Minnesota, US, said: "My neighbour's dog was outside and my dogs were going crazy so I was heading over to the door.
"My daughter opened the door and I saw the dog lunging over to the door, I stepped in front of her.
"My four-year-old grandson and two-year-old grandchild were stood next to her so thank God I did because if it had got hold of them it would have killed them.
"I didn't think twice about getting in front of them. It grabbed hold of my leg, knocked me down and dragged me out. It was so scary.
"It went from my leg to my face. My adrenaline was going so bad that I don't remember feeling anything. I was just so scared.
"My grandchildren saw the whole thing. My daughter was screaming. It tore at my face and latched onto my arm.
"My arm was punctured so when they went to rinse it to clean it out, it ran straight out the other side.
"Its owner pulled it off me. I got hold of its jaw with both my hands so it couldn't bite me anymore. I basically fought it off.
"I walked into the house, I didn't realise how bad it was. I saw in the mirror and I was gushing blood all over the place."
The mum-of-five drove herself to the hospital where she was rushed into surgery to have her wounds stitched.
Rhonda is still on pain medication and has to go to hospital twice a week to have the wound in her leg repacked.
She suspects that she will have permanent scars where she was bitten on her chin, eye, arm and leg.
Rhonda has set up a fundraiser to help pay for her bills after she was forced to give up work in a fish factory while she recovers.
Rhonda said: "They cut my clothes off, cleaned me up and took me to surgery where they stitched me up.
"I'm just glad it happened to me rather than my grandkids. The dog would have killed them.
"I'm so close to all of my grandkids. They struggled sleeping for a while after and they're scared to play outside when they come over.
"I've never been scared of dogs before but now I'm apprehensive. I'm scared of pitbulls and we don't want the kids around dogs we don't know."
Rhonda claims she contacted the police about the attack and the neighbour was forced to microchip the animal and muzzle it when it goes outside.
Rhonda said: "The police came over and they were going to deem it as 'possible dangerous' but I pushed it and showed them the photos of my injuries and they deemed it as a dangerous dog.
"They made her microchip it and wear a muzzle when it goes outside. That's not ok when there are kids around."
You can donate to Rhonda's GoFundMe page here.
