Name: Eileen
Victim: Adult, Pet
Location: My neighborhood, North Carolina

Tell us about the attack
I had walked my black lab Sammie every day in our neighborhood for four years. One beautiful fall morning, a pit bull escaped a neighbor’s yard, chased us down the street and attacked Sammie. It latched on to her chest wall and would not let go. I screamed and kicked it and kicked all the while my Sammie looking into my eyes for help. I tore apart a neighbor’s landscaping wall and hit the pit bull over the head repeatedly with the brick, it still wouldn’t let go. The only way to save her was to leave the scene and start banging on neighbor’s doors screaming for help. My Sammie watched me leave her. I kept running back to try to fight the dog off and then run again for help. No one was home and my poor sweet black lab was mauled to death.

How has your life changed as a result of the attack?
It took me months and months to recover emotionally from the attack. I also ended up with a torn meniscus and rotator cuff and was unable to work as a hospital nurse for months. I lost 20 to 30 thousand dollars worth of income because of it. On top of that were my medical bills.

Legal Consequences
The pit bull owner got a vicious dog letter from the county. That’s it.

What would you like people to know as a result of your attack?
Your right to own a pit bull doesn’t trump my right to not have my pet murdered by yours.