ST. LOUIS (KMOV/Gray News) – A St. Louis family is calling for something to be done after three dogs escaped a fenced area and fatally mauled a deaf grandmother in her backyard.
Gladys Anthony’s family is dealing with the loss of their backbone after the 62-year-old mother and grandmother was killed Jan. 15 by three dogs in the backyard of her home in the Walnut Park West neighborhood, KMOV reports.
“She will never get to see her grandbabies grow up because of these dogs. She lost her life over some dogs,” said the victim’s niece, Vrene Green.
The three dogs involved in the attack escaped through a hole in the fence at their 54-year-old owner’s home just up the street. Gladys Anthony’s daughter, Keshia Anthony, says her mother was deaf and didn’t hear them coming.
“You would think you safe in your own backyard, and she wasn’t. I hate that. Truly, I hate it easily with a passion,” Keshia Anthony said.
Gladys Anthony was severely injured in the attack. She was taken to the hospital and later died in surgery.
Her 73-year-old husband sustained several bites to his arms and legs in the attack but is expected to be OK. Police say he tried to fend the dogs off with a broom and to distract them by firing gunshots.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Gladys Anthony’s family with funeral costs.
The dogs are now in the custody of Animal Control. Keshia Anthony is demanding they be euthanized and their owner be charged.
“This man just out here free. It’s no remorse, no nothing. You ain’t even came down to our house and even show any type of sympathy or anything on the simple fact of what happened,” she said.
Under Missouri law, a dog’s owner could be charged with a felony if the dog kills a person.
The Department of Health’s Animal Care and Control is investigating. The agency says after any incident, an officer will investigate and may declare the dog(s) involved dangerous. The decision will be reviewed by a supervisor then sent to the director of health for a final decision.
If a dog is declared dangerous, the owner has 35 days to comply with regulations or surrender them. If the owner fails to comply, the dog will be euthanized.
Green disagrees with the process, especially in her aunt’s case.
“They took a whole life. They should have been immediately put down,” she said.
The Environmental Health Bureau Chief confirmed that in 2022, there were two calls to the house where the dogs came from but would not confirm it was the same dogs.
Ald. Pamela Boyd (13th) oversees the area where Gladys Anthony lived. She says because of this incident, she will be looking a closer look at the ordinance and policies in place.
“She was in her yard, and she was vulnerable to animals that shouldn’t have been just loose like that,” Boyd said. “I really want to look at how I can do legislation in honor of her.”
The Department of Health says its investigation process ensures animals aren’t put down unnecessarily.
The full statement from the agency reads as follows:
“The Department of Health’s Animal Care and Control section acts in accordance with City Ordinance 71060 when considering whether to declare a dog dangerous, as this designation has far-reaching consequences not only for dogs and their owners, but also the community at large. The process outlined below is followed for every relevant case to ensure fairness for all parties involved.
“After receiving a report of a bite or incident, an animal control officer will investigate and gather evidence, including pictures, videos, and interviews. Based on this information, the ACO may make a recommendation to declare the dog dangerous. This declaration will be reviewed by a supervisor and forwarded to the Director of Health, who will make the final determination. Once the dog has been declared dangerous, the owner will have 35 days to comply with a set of regulations allowing the animals to be returned or surrender them immediately. If the owner fails to comply within the time limit, the dogs will be humanely euthanized.
“This process is in place to ensure the safety of the community and to ensure that any decision to euthanize an animal is reasonable and warranted. We appreciate everyone’s patience while Animal Control completes the necessary procedures.”
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