11 Years of Loyalty Ends in Horror as Family Dog Bites Woman’s Nose Off

A Nevada woman who was brutally attacked by her longtime pet is struggling with the emotional toll of putting him down, even as she recovers from severe facial injuries.

Shayna Crimo, 31, was mauled on January 18 by her 11-year-old dog, King, in an unprovoked attack. The incident occurred just days before she was set to euthanize her other dog, a 13-year-old pit bull named Krieo, due to cancer.

Crimo shared details of the attack in a video on her TikTok account, explaining that King bit her face, tearing off most of her nose and upper lip. “I had just gotten back from a paint and sip class with friends and was getting ready for bed,” she recalled to the Mirror.

“As soon as I went to give him a hug and a kiss, he bit me immediately. There was no growl, there was no warning, he didn’t back up, he didn’t make any noises, nothing. It happened so fast,” Crimo said. “I remember the sensation of being shook, which was horrible, and then I ran into the bathroom, saw what I looked like, screamed bloody murder for [her boyfriend] to call 911.”

Crimo has owned King since he was a puppy and said he had never shown aggression before. However, she acknowledged that he has always been sensitive to being disturbed at night. “I know he does not like to be messed with at nighttime; that’s a boundary of his that I’ve respected for almost 11 years, hence why nothing like this has ever happened,” she explained.

“If he’s sleeping and it’s nighttime, he doesn’t want somebody in his face. I learned this because he would growl at me, so I stopped doing it. But he wasn’t laying down… he was sitting up at the edge of the bed. He’s never given any warning signs or acted aggressive or anything, being fully alert and sitting there like that.”

Crimo suffered devastating facial injuries and is undergoing forehead flap surgeries to reconstruct her nose and upper lip. Despite the attack, she has been unable to bring herself to euthanize King. She initially scheduled an appointment but canceled it, saying she was emotionally unprepared.

“I canceled it for now. It is not an easy decision to make… People think I’m crazy because I still love my dog,” she admitted. Two days after her first surgery, she followed through with Krieo’s euthanasia, deepening her emotional turmoil. “These dogs literally grew up with me. I’ve had them for over a decade… they are my children essentially,” she said.

“Do I want to put King down? Absolutely f*****g not. I would rather stay home for the remainder of his life and never go anywhere, never have to have babysitters, and just be extra careful, but that’s not an option.”

Though she has decided King cannot stay in her home permanently, she is taking precautions while she processes the situation. “We are not keeping King. I am just not ready to do anything about it yet. There is nobody else coming into the house unless he is secured in the room. We are taking necessary precautions so I can process things and be ready.”

Crimo has started a GoFundMe page to help cover medical expenses as she undergoes multiple reconstructive surgeries. She also acknowledged the need for therapy to recover from the traumatic experience. “I just can’t believe how extreme it all is. My heart is in absolute shambles,” she wrote on the fundraiser page.

“Between the cost of the euthanasia, the multiple surgeries I will endure (I’ve only had the first so far), months of missing work, and, let’s face it, I’ll need some serious therapy. I am feeling extremely helpless for myself.”

As she faces a long road to recovery, she says prayers and support from the public are what she needs most. “This will be a long, long journey for myself and my loved ones. Anything will help and would be appreciated beyond measure. My heart needs the most healing of all. Prayers, please.”