Name: Julie
Victim: Adult, Pet
Location: At a Casey’s gas station/general store on a dog walk, Adair, Iowa
Year of attack: 2021

Tell us about the attack

Our daughter was taking a break with her dog, Lola, in Adair, Iowa, just off the interstate. A pit bull owner from Texas staying at the nearby motel had his pit bull with him while doing work in the area. His girlfriend was walking the pit bull. It saw Lola, got off leash, and mauled her. Our daughter fought on the ground for 15-20 minutes trying to get the pit bull off Lola, but Lola died of her injuries.

How has your life changed as a result of the attack?
Our daughter dropped out of college and has had PTSD therapy ever since. Our whole family has been affected by this.

Legal Consequences

Police didn’t want much to do with it. No one would take the pit bull to quarantine. Adair has a pit bull ordinance, but it didn’t cover the motel. The pit bull owner went back to his home in Texas and nothing was done. I don’t even think this was reported to anyone in authority as there was nothing formal written up until our daughter insisted on it.

The pit bull owner was only fined for the pit bull getting off leash.  The town of Adair washed their hands of it. When police took the pit bull to find a place to confine it, I was told by the mayor that the officers said it was a calm dog. No veterinarian in the area would take it and the city didn’t have a plan in place of what to do! Even though they had an ordinance for pit bulls.

Our daughter has not been compensated for any of her medical help or therapy. No lawyer would take the case to help us as the pit bull owner didn’t have any insurance.

What would you like people to know as a result of your attack?
Pit bulls are loose cannons and unpredictable. Our daughter and her dog were nowhere near this pit bull when it charged from a distance. Witnesses confirm that neither she nor Lola did anything to provoke the pit bull. The pit bull had death on its mind.