Arizona mom speaks out after young son was mauled by pitbull

PHOENIX - A two-and-a-half-year-old boy is recovering, after he was mauled by a pitbull.

Kayla Archer and her family were moving into a new apartment over the weekend, so they put their dog into boarding, and she asked her friends to watch her son while she moved boxes and furniture.

Kayla said she didn't know her son would be around their dog, who the owners believe used to be a bait dog in dogfighting.

"We really thought that he was going to be permanently disfigured," said Kayla.

Kayla also described the injuries her son, Desmond, suffered.

"His laceration was about 5 inches by 2.5 inches at the longest points, and went all the way down to his fatty tissue. It was really close to being a thorough one, which would’ve been like a completely different story, and it was miraculous that it missed every major facial feature and structure, as well as it missed his jugular buy a fourth of an inch," said Kayla.

Kayla said her son had popped a balloon prior to the incident.

"At that moment, Desmond popped a balloon, and the dog attacked. It had to be disengaged from his face. The front told us that they had to take their fingers and jam them into the jawbones, so that she would release him," said Kayla.

Desmond was taken to a plastic surgeon at Phoenix Children's Hospital, and is doing well, especially considering that according to Kayla, Desmond almost lost his life.

The dog, according to Kayla, has attacked other dogs, but had never attacked a human before.

Meanwhile, Kayla's friend had asked her what she wants them to do with the dog.

"Are you going to hate me or not let me around Desmond if I don’t put the dog down?" Kayla recounted her friend's conversation with her. "I feel like I sound crazy, but to be honest, I’m pretty Switzerland with it. It’s trauma and trauma."

If Desmond's wounds heal correctly, he will only have one more surgery.