A walk like any other with a dog on a leash in a public park. Then, within moments, the attack, first on the puppy, then on his owner. The culprit? A nutria. "At 28, I find myself without a functioning hand." This is the story of Bianca Fusco, a former Miss Sardinia from Cagliari, and her dog Liquirizia.

The story

"I was walking with my boyfriend in Nervi Park when my dog approached a bush. Then I heard him screaming." Without understanding what had happened, Bianca bends down to pick him up. "The nutria jumped on me. It latched onto my hand and went right through it. At first, I was only thinking about the dog: he was covered in blood and I was afraid he would die. Only when I handed him over to my boyfriend did I look at my hand and see that it was completely open."

The consequences

The bite severed two tendons and a nerve. Emergency hospitalization, surgery, a cast, and physical therapy were required. But they weren't enough to restore full function to her hand. "I can't fully clench or unclench it. Even picking up a glass or closing the car door have become complicated," she says. She'll have to undergo a second operation in the coming months. A model and certified teacher, the accident has also had repercussions on her work. "I've had to put a lot of activities on hold. Between rehabilitation, visits, and checkups, it's been difficult to get back to normal. You shouldn't risk going home with a severely injured hand in a public park."

Alessandra Ragas

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