Mazzlyn the pit bull making ‘good progress’ two weeks after being stabbed

A 5-year-old dog is still recovering two weeks after being stabbed when her owner and his friends were approached by a man with a knife in the North Alamitos Beach neighborhood.

The young pit bull named Mazzlyn is on the mend, according to Fix Long Beach co-owner Sherri Stankewitz. But recovery could take months and it remains unclear if she will ever fully heal, Stankewitz added.

Candice Woodend, 43, and her husband, who are unhoused, were visiting with friends at the apartment building at 333 Orange Avenue on Friday, Aug. 1. Movie night went well past midnight and in the early hours of Saturday morning, Woodend’s husband and their friends (who are also unhoused) took Mazzlyn for a short walk.

Woodend stayed behind to cook the group hot dogs, but was interrupted when her husband burst back into the apartment in a panic and told her Mazzlyn had been stabbed.

“My mind was racing. I was in shock,” Woodend told the Watchdog. “As soon as I saw her, I was crying and freaking out. She was definitely fighting to live.”

The victims and at least one witness, who lives in the building and took video of the attack, say the suspect was angry that unhoused people were near the building. The man approached the group brandishing a large knife, they said.

The group lost hold of Mazzlyn who then charged the man, who in turn swiped at the dog with the knife numerous times, video shows. The man then fled in a car with another person, the witnesses say.

Video of the aftermath shows the sidewalk lined with blood as a hazmat crew tries to scrub off the gore.

The victims and witness allege the attacker also lives at 333 Orange Ave. and has a history of being aggressive and threatening to strangers. They said they know his name and apartment number as well as the license plate number of the car he drove off in, all of which have been provided to the Long Beach Police Department.

“Detectives are actively pursuing all leads in this investigation,” LBPD spokesperson Alyssa Baeza said in an email.

The group transported the dog to a vet office in a rideshare. After a brief exam, they were told services would cost about $4,000, which Woodend could not afford.

“They were super rude,” Woodend said.

Ultimately, they were forced to leave the vet office with a dog that still had an open wound, according to Woodend.

“We ended up putting my dog in a shopping cart because they didn’t know what else to do because she couldn’t walk,” Woodend said.

Mazzlyn was then taken to LBC Vets, which agreed to work with Woodend and her husband on the price of care, she said. The clinic contacted Friends of Long Beach Animals, a nonprofit organization, which agreed to cover the $1,000 tab.

Woodend’s friend at 333 Orange Ave. let Mazzlyn stay with him for a few days but it was clear the dog needed additional care.

“I could just see the sadness in her. She couldn’t really stand up,” Woodend said. “We had to lift her up to take her out to the grass to use the bathroom. She stood up and collapsed. Then she was able to hold herself up long enough to pee and then ended up falling back in it.”

With the help of community members, Mazzlyn was transported to the Fix Long Beach facility for tests and treatment.

At the clinic, the technicians did x-rays and blood work, according to Stankewitz. The dog has been staying at the clinic for over a week as she recovers.

“Mazzy’s doing better. She had a little bit of infection,” Stankewitz said, noting that the incision site looks small but it was deep and the knife was likely dirty. “She has a little bit of nerve damage in her front right paw.”

The pup is going through physical therapy, Stankewitz said, and there is only about a 50-50 chance for a full recovery. But the “doctor has hope because she’s made some good progress in the last week,” she added.

Mazzlyn is overweight, Stankewitz said, so she is also on a strict diet and exercise routine. The dog is set up in her own room with a bed, TV and air conditioning, she said.

Stankewitz noted that Woodend and her husband have been visiting Mazzlyn every day — taking her for walks and getting her out of the hospital environment.

“It’s good to get her some sunlight. She’s definitely in better spirits,” Stankewitz said. “Those owners are very diligent with their animal and they love her dearly.”

The total bill for Mazzlyn's care at Fix Long Beach is about $1,800, $250 of which has already been covered by a large donation, according to Stankewitz, who lambasted the state of the industry, which has seen skyrocketing prices for care. She admitted that costs have gone up but noted that corporations are taking over the industry and inflating prices far more than necessary.

Speaking about the aftermath of the attack, including the community’s response and Mazzlyn’s care, Woodend said she is grateful.

“I’m grateful. I’m grateful I didn’t lose her,” Woodend said. “And it’s just cool — Long Beach, man. Long Beach loves dogs. This is definitely a dog city.”

After more than a year and a half of being unhoused — sometimes staying with friends and  sometimes living on the street — Woodend and her husband are in the final stages of getting into housing through a public program, she said.

“It’s hard to [work] when you’re struggling every day for your basic needs,” Woodend said, adding that once she is in a stable living situation getting a job is her top priority. “I'm a bit of a workhorse when I'm working. I like to work hard. I'll do anything from flipping burgers to filing papers. I don't care what it is. I’ll be grateful to have a job.”

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