Delivery worker Petrina Tellstone suffered extensive injuries following a dog attack last Saturday (Photo courtesy of Colton McKee)

By Scott Roblin

Cautioning Others

Delivery worker urging others to remain cautious after dog attack

Apr 2, 2020 | 5:19 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A local woman is recovering from severe injuries after being attacked by two dogs last weekend while delivering food.

The COVID-19 global pandemic is seeing increased numbers of delivery drivers visiting homes and Petrina Tellstone is cautioning others in her industry to not make the same mistakes she did.

Last Saturday while working one of her occasional shifts for Pizza Hut, Tellstone was delivering a pizza to a residence along Braemar Street SE.

When she arrived at the front door she noticed a large Christmas ornament blocking much of the doorstep, which prevented her from using new Pizza Hut physical distancing protocols which see delivery workers set the food on a milk crate for customers.

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“It took up about one-third to one-fourth of the doorstep,” said Tellstone. “The doorstep itself wasn’t very large and the door swung out. So, I took it upon myself to realize that there’s no way I could put the milk crate down and step back. So, I headed towards the backyard.”

Tellstone chose to enter the backyard of the home where she encountered two pit bull-like dogs and was attacked.

“One jumped at my arm and the other one jumped at my face, pulled me straight down on top of my skull playing tug-of-war,” said Tellstone. “His snout got underneath my face and removed my face from my skull. I got stitches here, it took half of my lip. The other one took my front arm.”

The delivery worker suffered extensive injuries to her face requiring plastic surgery, while plates and four bolts had to be implanted in her right arm during her five-day stay in hospital.

Back home to begin four months of recovery from the injuries, Tellstone said she didn’t take the proper steps to protect herself and paid the price.

“My point here is I should have walked around,” said Tellstone. “Everybody here in Medicine Hat is so friendly and I presumed. So, I’m trying to set out a good standard to other people that do deliver to please be more aware and be more careful.”

A number of people on Braemar Street assisted Tellstone acquire medical attention following the attack, jumping in to help even during the pandemic.

“I want to thank all the people in the community that were on Braemar Street that helped me,” said Tellstone. “There was actually a nurse in among all of that. They didn’t even stop to think about the coronavirus, they just leaped in.”

Medicine Hat bylaw enforcement have since seized the dogs who are being held in isolation, something that Tellstone said she’s sad to see happen.

“I don’t like knowing that this has to happen, that they’ve had to be pulled from their family,” she said. “I’m a big [pet] lover with furry family members.”

Tellstone is now encouraging other delivery drivers in the city to take proper precautions to become more aware of their surroundings.

“If you haven’t the time to call your place that is sending you, call the customer yourself,” said Tellstone. “Make sure you have the customer’s phone number, call the customer first before entering the yard. Otherwise you’ll look like this and it doesn’t feel nice.”