A 92-year-old woman from Thurston County, Washington, has died after she was mauled by a pack of dogs in her neighbor’s home. According to the Seattle Times , the woman, identified as Gladys Alexander was visiting her neighbor’s home when she was attacked by four dogs. The incident happened on Sunday evening.
According to officials from the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, the dogs involved in the attack were all of mixed breed. Two of the dogs have been confirmed to be a mix of pit bull, heeler, and Labrador. The third dog is a pit bull and Labrador mix, while the other is a pit bull and heeler mix.
Gladys Alexander was friends with the neighbor and used to be a frequent visitor to the home where she was attacked. However, on the day of the dog attack, unbeknown to her, the neighbor had agreed to take care of three other dogs that belonged to a friend. Gladys was attacked when she let herself into the neighbor’s home.
Unfortunately, at the time Gladys went there, the neighbor had gone outside to run an errand. She was horrified to see the dogs attack Gladys and managed to stop the dogs. However, Gladys was already seriously injured. The woman called out for help, after which emergency services reached the location. In the 911 call made by the woman, she is heard saying;
“Please hurry! There’s lots of blood all over!” the homeowner told 911 dispatchers. “She let herself in, which she doesn’t normally do. And my dogs are protective. And she’s a real small lady. And they started getting her.”
Gladys was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where she died a day later.
According to Wayne Alexander, Gladys’ son, his mother had lost a significant amount of blood, suffered serious skull injuries, and had also broken several bones. Had she survived, she would have needed one arm and one leg amputated, doctors confirmed.
Alexander also revealed that his mother and the neighbor were friends, and the two regularly helped each other and had a habit of going back and forth between each other’s houses.
According to Sgt. Tim Rudloff of the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, all the dogs involved in the attack have been placed on home quarantine for 10 days. The dogs are likely to be euthanized. Gladys’ neighbor has already agreed to have her dog euthanized. The owner of the other two dogs will be contacted by officers from the Thurston County Animal Services.
Authorities have confirmed that no criminal case has been filed in connection with the incident.
This is not the first time The Inquisitr has reported about fatal dog attacks. Last year a boxer-bull mastiff mauled an elderly lady in a frenzied attack that took place in the U.K. The victim of this attack was 60-year-old Kathleen Degg from Accrington, Lancs. Kathleen saw her neighbor’s bull mastiff in her back garden and decided to chase the dog away. However, the dog responded aggressively and attacked her. Hearing her screams, Kathleen’s neighbor called for help and saw the horrifying sight of the dog trying to “tear Kathleen to pieces.”
In another attack that was reported last year, an elderly man and a woman were left critically injured after four pit bulls reportedly entered their home in Modesto, California and attacked and mauled them till they were unconscious.
Deputies responding to the incident were attacked by the dogs as well, and they had to shoot two of the animals. The two other dogs were also shot and killed later.
[Image via Pixabay]