More than one long-distance expedition — and many, many runners — have had such a mishap. On December 3, the very first day of her 675km Jordan Trail expedition, Alice Morrison suffered a serious dog bite that has put her journey on hold.
At the end of a good 25km day, Morrison and her guide Munthir Al Titi came upon a pack of aggressive sheepdogs. Munthir tried to deter them with stones, which seemed to work. Their owner, a farmer, then came out of his home to call them away. But Morrison did not notice that one of the dogs, which had attacked another hiker the day before, sneaked up from behind and gave her a vicious bite on the leg.
A vicious bite. Photo: Alice Morrison
The bite was very deep. While the initial pain was excruciating, shock and adrenaline soon muted the feeling. Her calf was “bleeding heavily, and lumps of fat and meat from inside my leg had dropped out onto the ground,” she said.
Munthier cleaned her wound, and the farmer rushed the pair to the hospital. Here, she received a series of rabies shots and a tetanus injection. Afterward, a guide they knew in Um Qais gave them lodging, food, and additional first aid. A couple of doctors also visited and advised her to stay off the leg for at least a week.
As of now, she is in Amman, staying with a helpful family. She wants to continue her trek on Sunday, December 12, if the leg mends well enough by then. Despite this experience, she does not seem to blame the farmer or his dogs.
