LINCOLN COUNTY – Most of the physical scars from Kennedy Hudson’s Feb. 20 dog attack by three dogs are healed but the emotional and psychological damage remain.

“I kind of have nightmares about the dogs attacking me and when I have those, I start looking out the windows,” Kennedy said in an interview with The Lincoln County Journal.

On the day of the alleged attack, Kennedy was walking to a friend’s house that Thursday afternoon, a short walk away, but she never made it. Not far from her home, four loose dogs surrounded Kennedy — a Great Dane, two Rottweilers, and a Pittbull. The Great Dane and Rottweilers then attacked, according to Kennedy’s dad, Eric.

“It was attacking my legs and my forehead and close to my eye, kind (of) a little bit,” recalled Kennedy.

A neighbor, Tim Traw, stopped the attack.

“At the time I ran to Kennedy, the dogs were not latched on to her,” Traw said. “She was already very bloody and her little coat torn to shreds. I ran into the middle of the group of dogs that were still very aggressive. I said with authority for them to get back. I asked Kennedy to please quiet down all she could so the dogs would calm a bit. I then asked her if I could pick her up and take her home. I picked her up as the Great Dane tried to rear up in my face.”

Traw then walked down the street towards Kennedy’s home where a few “more aggressive dogs” followed him.

During the alleged attack, John Galbraith, also a neighbor, was in his garage, and heard a scream but thought nothing of it. Then came a second scream.

He then opened his garage door, walked out and walked down the street to see multiple dogs attacking Kennedy and “pulling on all sides of her.”

As he went to help, two Rottweilers began charging at him, he says. Meanwhile, Traw was able to get to Kennedy.

Galbraith says the dog attack occurred at the crossing of Sumac Dr. and Osage, located outside of Troy city limits.

After Traw brought Kennedy to her home, her parents rushed her to the emergency room. According to Eric, she mainly had bleeding from the head to right below the eye.

Kennedy ended up having scratches on her back and legs as well as bite wounds on her head. Her eye was not damaged. No rabies vaccination was necessary either.

“The first reaction when you see your kid covered in blood is panic,” said Kennedy’s mom, Courtney Hudson. “Is she okay? Is she hurt? After the hospital, she had stitches and a chunk of hair that is missing that will hopefully grow back. She has scarring on her face, on her legs and her toes.”

In 2023, Troy did away with the dog breed specific ordinance and currently has an “aggressive dog ordinance,” according to Troy Alderman Rachel Dunard.

After 130 reported bites a year ago, 67 have been reported through May in 2025, a pace of more than 160, or a 23 percent increase.

While Eric is thankful that Kennedy is physically fine, he has “a lot of rage and guilt and is very, very upset” about what his daughter has endured. Nearly four months later, Kennedy frequently has nightmares and her fear of dogs outside the ones her family owns persists. She has started therapy to help her overcome those fears.

Since Kennedy’s attack, the Hudsons have seen the dogs loose multiple other times, including just a few weeks ago. They say they are frustrated by the lack of care, responsibility and accountability.

“A responsible dog owner is somebody who takes accountability for their dogs,” Courtney said. “When we have children, we’re responsible for them until they turn a certain age…With dogs when you take ownership of a dog, you should be responsible and accountable for the actions of your pet, making sure that you are taking as many precautions as possible to make sure that your dogs are cared for and that they are safe and keeping them contained.”

Lincoln County does not have animal control currently. It was listed as part of Proposition Safe Community on the April 8 ballot but voters easily defeated the sales tax proposal.