When Dogs Kill: Virginia Woman Killed In Grisly Mauling By Own Pit Bulls
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A Virginia woman was mauled to death by her own pit bulls Thursday. She was apparently out for a walk with them in her Goochland County, Virginia neighborhood when she was attacked.
Victim Bethany Lynn Stephens, 22, was found in a wooded area by her father after he went looking for her when she didn’t return home from the walk, according to WTVR-TV. When found it appeared she was the victim of a mauling by her own dogs.
He told sheriff’s officials that her two dogs appeared to be “guarding” her body when he found his daughter. Sheriff James Agnew said, citing the Medical Examiner’s initial report:
“It appeared the attack was a violent attack initiated by the victims’ dogs while the victim was out for a walk with the dogs.” The victim had defensive wounds on her hands and arms trying to keep the dogs away from her, which would be consistent with being attacked while she was still alive.”
“It appears she was taken to the ground, lost consciousness, and the dogs then mauled her to death.”
He went on to say Stephens apparently sustained injuries to her face and throat during the mauling.
The sheriff told WTVR it was a grisly mauling and said:
“In my 40 years of law enforcement, I’ve never seen anything quite like it. I hope I never see anything like it again.”
Goodland County authorities euthanized the dogs, but the investigation into the reason for the attack is ongoing.
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The dogs in this photo look like staffordshire bull terriers and look nothing like the dogs pictured with her elsewhere. She called her dogs pits but they look like brindle mutts. Everyone labels short muzzled or brindle dogs as pits. This makes the true pit breeds look bad as the poor behavior of many other breeds as well as mutts is affecting statistics for a few breeds of dog. What happened to her is sad and disturbing but the media is going about this all wrong.
When I published the article these were supposed to be the actual dogs, however, I’ve also seen other pictures and there is little resemblance. I agree about the media, and it certainly is sad.
Dog fight. Happened in Blighty a couple years back. Owner got in between her Alsatians and they bit the stuff out of her. Not dead, but almost. We don’t kill our dogs like you yanks every time they sneeze wrong, so one was adopted out and the other stayed with the owner.
It’s true Joe. American local law pretty much dictates if a dog bites a person it will be euthanized. We still aren’t quite as civilized as you Brits. Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for sharing with us Joe, and I agree about the US and the UK animal laws.
I don’t believe this happened as reported. I’ve had pitties all my life and never had one even look like it might hurt me. Something else happened here, and I hope they find out what.