A devastating dog attack led Allison Joy Macalik to the emergency room at Methodist Dallas Medical Center and ultimately gave her life new purpose.
Two years after that attack, the Oak Cliff mother of two owns her own coffee shop and hosts her own podcast, both devoted to spreading joy, her middle name.
“None of this would have happened without the dog attack,” she says, “And so I’m grateful for it. I think it was all meant to happen. The universe is really something.”
Joy was the furthest thing from her mind two years ago when Allison was mauled while walking her own dogs.
The worst memories from that traumatic day are still hazy, but she does remember how she felt once she got the care she needed at Methodist Dallas.
“Once I got there, I felt safe,” she says, tearing up. “After something so crazy, that kindness — it’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
NO TIME TO THINK
In April 2024, Allison was walking her two dogs in Oak Cliff when she saw a loose dog coming and froze.
“I just knew in my body, I knew, the dog was going to attack,” the 39-year-old recalls.
Then it lunged straight for her dachshund, Mr. BB, grabbing him by the neck. Without thinking, Allison stepped in to save him, but the animal turned on her.
“I didn’t even think,” she says. “I just went in.”
Construction workers heard Allison’s screams and ran to help her, forcing the dog to release its grip. Her husband, Russ Tibbits, was two blocks away at home, but took off running barefoot when he heard his wife.
“He didn’t even know what was going on,” she said. “He just knew it was me.”
When it was over, Allison’s hands were covered in bite wounds. Minutes later, she was on her way to Methodist Dallas.
Sheldon the schnauzer had a heart attack during the attack, and Mr. BB needed surgery.
A NURSE’S KINDNESS
Allison arrived in the ER, covered in blood, still in shock, and unable to use her hands; she was alone. Russ took Mr. BB to the veterinarian. While she waited for family to arrive, a nurse walked over and asked if she needed anything.
She needed a change of clothes after the attack but couldn’t use her hands. Fortunately, a nurse knew just what to do a stepped in.
“She did not have to do that,” Allison says. She wasn’t even my nurse. She just saw me and helped me.”
That kindness helped Allison through the initial emotional rollercoaster, but she didn’t know how serious her wounds were.
DANGER OF DOG BITES
The ER staff first controlled the bleeding, cleaned her wounds, checked the blood flow in her fingers, and examined sensation and motor function throughout her hands.
“Dog bites to the hand are concerning and need immediate medical attention,” said Amy Young, MD, an emergency room physician on the medical staff at Methodist Dallas. “It can cause damage to tendons, joints, and even bones.”
Doctors were also concerned about infection because dogs’ mouths carry so much bacteria, so her caregivers did not close the bites to prevent germs from being trapped inside.
Allison did not require surgery, but one deep bite had penetrated near a tendon. She spent a year in physical therapy but had no long-term nerve or tendon damage.
Allison loves traveling with her daughter, Davie, son, Noah, and husband, Russ.
TAKING TIME TO HEAL
The weeks that followed were hard. Sheldon, her older schnauzer, froze during the attack.
“We learned later he was having a heart attack,” Allison says, her voice cracking. “He’s so old, and he was just frozen.”
Sheldon never recovered. The family made the difficult decision to euthanize him. Mr. BB survived but required surgery to remove part of his hip. He was afraid to go for walks around the neighborhood, and now lives with Allison’s sister.
After the attack, Allison went on medical leave but moved through the days in the fog of a post-traumatic stress injury.
“I told my husband, ‘There’s something going on with me,’” she recalls.
Her physical and psychological rehabilitation was intense, and Allison needed a break, so she packed up her family and spent a couple of months abroad in Amsterdam and Montenegro, letting the distance help them breathe again.
Allison and Russ made their dream of opening a neighborhood coffee shop a reality.
FINDING A LITTLE JOY
While overseas, Allison fell in love with the family-centered coffee shops she saw throughout Europe. Allison and Russ dreamed out loud about opening a café with a play area, but they filed that idea away for another day.
Then, last spring, the owners of an Oak Cliff coffee shop that their family adored offered to sell. They named it Little Joy after the middle name that Allison shares with her daughter.
“This April will be two years since the dog attack and one year since we took over the coffee shop,” Allison says.
Allison also launched a podcast titled “Joy Is My Middle Name.” She interviews people from around the world who have found their way back from a crisis.
When she looks at her hands, it’s a reminder of what she went through, but it gives her the strength to keep going.
“When I’m old,” Allison says, “I’m going to look down at my hands and think: I fought a dog. I’m a fighter.”
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