9-year-old Graves Girl Attacked by Stray Dog

By West Kentucky Star Staff

FARMINGTON - A Graves County girl is recovering at a Paducah hospital after being attacked by a dog at her home on Thursday night.

The attack happened around 8:00 pm at a home on State Route 1124 in Farmington. Family members said when children at the home opened the door leading to the garage, the stray dog slipped into the home, and started attacking nine-year-old Malley Jo Ralph. According to family members, the dog jumped on the girl's chest, knocked her down and began biting her right leg.

The girl's mother was able to eventually get the dog off her daughter, while a friend called 911.

Malley was taken by ambulance to Baptist Health Paducah where she underwent extensive surgery on her leg. According to family members, doctors expect the girl to recover from her injuries, but the road to recovery will be a long one.

The dog, described as a pitbull/bulldog mix, was taken by Animal Control to the Mayfield-Graves County Animal Shelter, where it will be quarantined for 10 days.

Family members said they had never seen the dog and didn't know who it belonged to.