Monday, July 13, 2015

Dupo woman hospitalized after dog attack

ILLINOIS -- A metro-east woman was hospitalized after she was attacked by dogs in Dupo.

Brenda Bowder, 55, told police she was walking a pair of small dogs near her home Thursday when she was attacked by a German Shepherd and an Akita that were supposed to be guarding a vacant property in the area.

The victim’s husband, David Bowder, said the dogs were left in the yard of the vacant home several months after the property owners moved down the street. Brenda Bowder was walking her Dachshund and Basset Hound in her front yard when the bigger dogs suddenly appeared and attacked the smaller animals.

Brenda Bowder tried to defend her pets. That’s when the bigger dogs turned on her, according to her husband.

“These are plain old junkyard dogs, that’s all there is to it,” David Bowder said “They bit her all the way to the bone and the people in the ambulance were afraid she was going to flat-line on the way there because she was through so much trauma.”

Bowder remained hospitalized as of Monday while being treated for several bites on her arms, legs and back and for an associated infection, David Bowder said. His wife was bitten more than 25 times.

The dogs that attacked Bowder are in possession of St. Clair County Animal Services, according to director Jim Jacquot.

The animals are in a 10-day rabies quarantine. At the end of that period, they’ll be destroyed.

“The owners have been fully cooperative,” Jacquot said. “They’re pretty upset about the whole situation. The important thing is to be certain that this isn’t allowed to happen a second time.”

David Bowder said people in the neighborhood have lived in fear of the animals for months.

Dupo police have not yet said if they intend to seek charges against the owners of the dogs.

(Belleville News-Democrat - July 13, 2015)

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