Posted 1:47 pm Wednesday, March 18, 2009
UPDATE: Woman in Serious Condition After Dog Attack
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By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer
A woman who was viciously attacked by a group of pit bull dogs Tuesday afternoon is in serious condition this afternoon while recovering from surgery for wounds that were called “severe” by officials, Mother Frances Hospital officials said.
Staff Writer
A woman who was viciously attacked by a group of pit bull dogs Tuesday afternoon is in serious condition this afternoon while recovering from surgery for wounds that were called “severe” by officials, Mother Frances Hospital officials said.
Hospital officials also confirmed that Kristi Langston is an employee of Mother Frances Hospital.
Smith County Sheriff''s Sgt. Jim Whitam said the dogs' owners are scheduled to call the sheriff's office today with any vaccination records, and that the investigation continues.
Sheriff’s Lt. Gary Middleton said firefighters and EMT officials were called to the scene at 10437 County Road 1141 shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday when the woman’s husband found her outside after the attack.
“I haven’t been to the hospital or know her condition at this time, but I have been told her injuries were severe,” Middleton said.
Sheriff’s Lt. Gary Middleton said firefighters and EMT officials were called to the scene at 10437 County Road 1141 shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday when the woman’s husband found her outside after the attack.
“I haven’t been to the hospital or know her condition at this time, but I have been told her injuries were severe,” Middleton said.
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Radio traffic indicated the woman suffered bites to her hands, arms, legs and other parts of her body.
Neighbors gathered around a home a block from where the attack occurred as deputies and animal control officers captured one dog before the owners arrived on scene.
“This isn’t the first time these dogs have attacked,” Larry Goodwin said. “They trapped my wife in her car about a month ago, and we called the sheriff’s department then.”
Goodwin and several others said one neighbor missed several months of work after he was attacked by the same animals.
“This needed to happen some time ago. I mean, someone could have gotten killed,” Goodwin said.
Middleton said the owners gave authorities consent to take the other two dogs, which were being taken to a local veterinarian and would be put down.
“We don’t know if the vaccinations were up to date, but the only way to check for rabies is to have them tested and they have to be euthanized to do that,” he said.
Middleton said the investigation will continue and if the owners are found to be negligent, they could face felony charges.
“We have to look at several things, but right now we want to concentrate on getting the dogs out of here tonight,” he said.
Goodwin said he was glad to see the dogs being loaded into the animal control vehicles.
“I will say again that I am glad that no one has been killed by these dogs. I wish this would have happened before my neighbor was attacked. We all hope she will be OK,” he said.
Updated Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at 1:46 p.m. CDT
Neighbors gathered around a home a block from where the attack occurred as deputies and animal control officers captured one dog before the owners arrived on scene.
“This isn’t the first time these dogs have attacked,” Larry Goodwin said. “They trapped my wife in her car about a month ago, and we called the sheriff’s department then.”
Goodwin and several others said one neighbor missed several months of work after he was attacked by the same animals.
“This needed to happen some time ago. I mean, someone could have gotten killed,” Goodwin said.
Middleton said the owners gave authorities consent to take the other two dogs, which were being taken to a local veterinarian and would be put down.
“We don’t know if the vaccinations were up to date, but the only way to check for rabies is to have them tested and they have to be euthanized to do that,” he said.
Middleton said the investigation will continue and if the owners are found to be negligent, they could face felony charges.
“We have to look at several things, but right now we want to concentrate on getting the dogs out of here tonight,” he said.
Goodwin said he was glad to see the dogs being loaded into the animal control vehicles.
“I will say again that I am glad that no one has been killed by these dogs. I wish this would have happened before my neighbor was attacked. We all hope she will be OK,” he said.
Updated Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at 1:46 p.m. CDT
