TEXAS -- A routine walk in her Smith County neighborhood took a horrific turn for 50-year-old Patsy Mumphrey Tuesday when a pack of pit bull dogs attacked the woman as she fought for her survival.
“At no time did I think I was going to die, because I was too busy fighting them and praying, God help me,” Ms. Mumphrey said during an interview Thursday at a relative's home.
The woman, who had injuries to her left arm, legs, left thigh, stomach, shoulder and head, said she was walking to her home in the 10000 block of County Road 21 from a friend's house shortly before 1:30 p.m. Tuesday when she noticed the four dogs.
“I have seen them before and they belong to a neighbor, but he usually has them in a fence. When they saw me they began this weird barking and charged after me,” she said.
Ms. Mumphrey said as the dogs attacked her, she fell to the ground landing on her left arm and shoulder. The dogs began biting her lower leg areas as she flailed her legs and arms at the dogs.
As the attack continued, she continued to fight and pray.
“About two or three minutes into the attack I noticed this red pickup coming flying up and J.W. (a neighbor) got out screaming at the dogs to get away from me and the other guy got out with a tire tool to help me,” she said.
Before the two men could get her to safety, a black and white pit bull got between the men and bit her in the head and tore a portion of her scalp off.
“I couldn't see when the blood started gushing out, but I don't know what would have happened had J.W. (she didn't know the man's full name) and the other man wouldn't have showed up when they did,” she said. “There is no doubt that they saved my life.”
Before the two men could get her to safety, a black and white pit bull got between the men and bit her in the head and tore a portion of her scalp off.
“I couldn't see when the blood started gushing out, but I don't know what would have happened had J.W. (she didn't know the man's full name) and the other man wouldn't have showed up when they did,” she said. “There is no doubt that they saved my life.”
Smith County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Bobby Garmon said one dog was captured Wednesday and euthanized. The owner then released the other three dogs to the sheriff's office.
“None of the dogs had been given rabies vaccines so they are all being euthanized, but the health department is taking care of all of that stuff,” he said.
Garmon said detectives assigned to the case issued several citations to the dogs' owner and were discussing the case with the district attorney's office in regards to possible charges.
“We have no documentation that these dogs have attacked before so we are giving all the information to the DA to see if charges will be filed in this case,” he said.
Ms. Mumphrey said she is nervous about the possibility of having to go through a series of injections if the dogs prove to have rabies.
“I have to go back to the surgeon and have my head looked at where they had to do the surgery. The other injuries are going to be OK and I just go see my regular doctor for them,” she said looking over her bandaged wounds.
Ms. Mumphrey said she has walked the same route for 20 years and never had a problem. She added she would have never thought she would be the victim of a dog attack.
“These animals are vicious and should be banned,” she said about the pit bull breed. “This could happen to anyone. It happened to that boy in Overton, the lady from the hospital who was dragged by the pit bulls and now me,” she said.
Two children have been killed in East Texas by pit bull dogs since 2009 and several adults have been seriously injured and maimed by the breed.
Attempts to reach pit bull rescue groups Thursday were unsuccessful, however last November Linda E. Montrose of Frankston wrote the newspaper saying a breed specific ban was not needed.
Ms. Montrose explained she had been around pit bull dogs all of her life and never had a problem with the breed and had only seen the dogs in a loving light.
“If a ban is needed, it is with irresponsible owners, not the dogs themselves,” she stated in her letter.
Show me someone who has been as badly mauled as Ms. Mumphrey who agrees with Ms. Montrose.
But for Ms. Mumphrey, the attack still has her shaken.
“I'm scared to even go home now and I don't know if I'll ever go walking again,” she said. “I just keep thinking about those dogs biting at me.”
“None of the dogs had been given rabies vaccines so they are all being euthanized, but the health department is taking care of all of that stuff,” he said.
Garmon said detectives assigned to the case issued several citations to the dogs' owner and were discussing the case with the district attorney's office in regards to possible charges.
“We have no documentation that these dogs have attacked before so we are giving all the information to the DA to see if charges will be filed in this case,” he said.
Ms. Mumphrey said she is nervous about the possibility of having to go through a series of injections if the dogs prove to have rabies.
“I have to go back to the surgeon and have my head looked at where they had to do the surgery. The other injuries are going to be OK and I just go see my regular doctor for them,” she said looking over her bandaged wounds.
Ms. Mumphrey said she has walked the same route for 20 years and never had a problem. She added she would have never thought she would be the victim of a dog attack.
“These animals are vicious and should be banned,” she said about the pit bull breed. “This could happen to anyone. It happened to that boy in Overton, the lady from the hospital who was dragged by the pit bulls and now me,” she said.
Two children have been killed in East Texas by pit bull dogs since 2009 and several adults have been seriously injured and maimed by the breed.
Attempts to reach pit bull rescue groups Thursday were unsuccessful, however last November Linda E. Montrose of Frankston wrote the newspaper saying a breed specific ban was not needed.
Ms. Montrose explained she had been around pit bull dogs all of her life and never had a problem with the breed and had only seen the dogs in a loving light.
“If a ban is needed, it is with irresponsible owners, not the dogs themselves,” she stated in her letter.
Show me someone who has been as badly mauled as Ms. Mumphrey who agrees with Ms. Montrose.
But for Ms. Mumphrey, the attack still has her shaken.
“I'm scared to even go home now and I don't know if I'll ever go walking again,” she said. “I just keep thinking about those dogs biting at me.”
