Woman dies after being mauled by pack of 7 pit bulls in Taylorsville, Utah

Martha McHardy
Independent (UK)
Thu, 09 Nov 2023 13:51 UTC

A Utah woman has died one week after she was mauled by seven pit bulls in her own backyard.

The 63-year-old woman, who has not been identified, died after the pack of dogs - a male, a female and their five puppies - caused critical injuries to her face, hands and leg.

The pit bulls belonged to the woman's 38-year-old son, officials said.

Officers from the Taylorsville Police Department were called to the woman's home on 31 October where they found the pack of dogs on top of the victim in her backyard.

Responders were forced to use pepper spray on the dogs to push them back and rescue the woman.

She was rushed to hospital, where doctors amputated her leg in a bid to try to save her.

Despite their efforts, the dogs had caused such significant injuries that she died on Monday.

Her death is now under investigation.

Officials added that police and animal control officers were able to contain the dogs in the backyard and confine them. However, the female dog was shot dead by an officer after she broke loose.

Police confirmed that the remaining six dogs have since been euthanised after their owner "surrendered" them to West Valley City Animal Services.

None of the dogs were licensed even though Taylorsville law states that all pet animals "must be licensed every year".

Residents of the city are also not allowed to have more than two dogs or cats per household and a total of four household animals per residence.

The police department said in a statement: "We are saddened to confirm the passing of a Taylorsville resident following a dog attack in the backyard of her home a week ago.

"The victim of the attack suffered critical injuries to her face, hands and legs, including one that required amputation.

"She died at the hospital on Monday as a result of those injuries, her family confirmed today with police.

"The 63-year-old woman was attacked on October 31 by two adult dogs and their puppies in the fenced backyard of her home."

Her death comes after an 11-year-old boy was rushed to hospital in Georgia when a pack of three pit bulls dragged him into a ditch and viciously ripped half of his ear and 80 per cent of his scalp back in January.

The 11-year-old has undergone five surgeries.

Meanwhile, back in 2019, a 44-year-old Massachusetts woman was mauled to death by her family's dog while she was having a seizure.

Comment: Another such fatality was reported from Springfield, Illinois on November 7:

The pit bull attack deaths of Jonathan Mendenhall, 34, in Springfield, Illinois, and Sandra Miller, 63, in Taylorsville, Utah, on November 6 and November 7, 2023, ran the year's total of pit bull attack fatalities in the U.S. and Canada to 47, and in the U.S. alone to 46.

Both numbers are new single-year records, with eight weeks left in the year.

Altogether, 57 Americans and Canadians have died in dog attacks thus far in 2023, only five behind the 2022 record total of 62.

Springfield pit bull attacked passers-by who tried to give victim CPR

Mendenhall, reported the Sangamon County Coroner's Office, was found "outside of a residence and unresponsive. While resuscitative efforts were underway, he was bitten several times."

Summarized WICS Newschannel 20, an ABC affiliate, "According to the Springfield Police Department, officers arrived on the scene and found a pit bull attacking a man lying on the ground.

"We're told the officer shot and killed the dog.

"We're told two people found Mendenhall unresponsive and tried to give him cardiopulmonary resuscitation before officials arrived.

"The pit bull then became aggravated and attacked all three of them. The two people trying to help Mendenhall sustained minor injuries.