Pit Bulls That Mauled Woman At Her Home Have Been Euthanized

August 1, 2013

Two pit bulls that mauled a Nokomis woman have been euthanized at the Escambia County Animal Shelter.

Animal Control’s investigation determined that Lambert’s family had been taking care of the two animals for at least 10 months, making the family the legal owners of the dogs, according to Bill Pearson, Escambia County spokesman. “Animal Control officers then visited the family, and they signed custody of the dogs over to Animal Control with the understanding that the animals would have to be put down,” he said.

Shortly after the July 18 attack, Lambert and her family began calling for the dogs to be euthanized.

“Sandra said they need to be put down. She said what she saw in the eyes of the dogs that day was a look that she’d never seen before-a killer look, and from her injuries it appears that is what the dogs were trying to do,” Lambert’s cousin Martha Hall said on her behalf in a written statement.

Lambert, 63, was airlifted to the USA Medical Center in Mobile following the brutal attack. She underwent multiple surgeries, including the full amputation of her right arm up to her shoulder. She also suffered deep puncture and gash wounds to her left arm and her legs. She still faces more surgeries for skin grafts to her left arm and legs on her long road to recovery. She remains at USA Medical Center.

Lambert had taken both pit bulls out for a walk behind her home.  Molly, the female dog, was on a leash and lunged at some chickens in the yard. Lambert yelled “No, Molly” to the dog and pulled on her leash. The dog quickly turned on her and attacked, with the male dog, Rosco, joining in. Buddy, who had been the family’s dog for years, tried to help and was brutally attacked by the pit bulls.

Buddy did not survive the attack, but he is credited with perhaps saving Lambert’s life, giving her the chance to crawl inside her home and call 911.

An account to help Lambert with medical expenses has been established. Donations can be made to the “Benefit Account for Sandra Lambert” at any branch of United Bank.

Pictured top: An Escambia County Animal Control officer removed a tranquilized pit bull from an enclosed porch at the home of Sandra Lambert. Pictured inset: “Molly,”, one of the two pit bulls involved in a vicious attack last July 18 was trapped on an enclosed porch. Pictured below: Molly after being tranquilized.  Pictured bottom: The attack happened at a mobile home in Nokomis, FL.  Lambert was airlifted to the USA Medical Center in Mobile. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

16 Responses to “Pit Bulls That Mauled Woman At Her Home Have Been Euthanized”

  1. Cyndi on August 8th, 2013 12:10 pm

    No certain breed of anything is going to consistently act in certain ways. Breeding for certain traits, their training and environment they are exposed to determines the behaviors of any breed. Some breeds are genetically designed for certain activities such as prey drive and protectiveness towards their “pack”. The pack includes their human family as well as other dogs. Having more than one dog who has aggressive tendencies will cause them to feed off of each other’s energies which causes a fog and focus on whatever they are being aggressive to. Once this aggression is turned on, it is not so easily turned off. And the larger the dogs the harder it is for a human to get back control during this collective focus. In order to keep large dogs under control humans MUST maintain the Alpha position in the “pack”. All other dogs typically will follow the Alpha’s lead. So even though I agree with putting down the dogs involved with this attact, I definitely don’t agree that a specific breed should be annihilated. I also don’t agree that the idea of government intervening by regulating is the answer either. If so, the only ones who will follow the law will be the law-abiding not the ones who are causing the aggressive breeding problems to begin with therefore not solving anything. All I can say is if you have pits or pit-mixes (or any other large breed for that matter) with questionable breeding, don’t have more than one and certainly don’t let them run loose since all dogs have a tendency to pack up with or without human help. And a pack mentality of prey driven animals can most certainly lead to aggression usually directed to other animals but occasionally toward humans. Being responsible pet owners and using common sense when dealing with larger breeds Is absolutely necessary. Also picking up on their body language, personality traits and not putting them into stressful situations they can’t handle will prevent such tragic events from occurring in the future. If you are not willing or able to put the effort into this type of psychological assessment research of your pet then I suggest selecting a different pet such as a cat, bird or fish. God bless!

  2. David Huie Green on August 4th, 2013 4:25 pm

    no matter what, I hope your child survives

  3. Laura Creighton on August 4th, 2013 8:54 am

    I’m a pit bull mom, and my pit is full blooded, and by far the best dog I have ever owned! I do agree 100% that these dogs need to be put down! Any breed has some sort of aggressive behavior! I’m sorry for what these dogs did to Sandra! And putting them to sleep is in the best interest of everyone! But I do not think saying all pit bulls are the same is a correct statement! Our dog eats ice cream with my 6 year old! And is a member of our family!!! Sandra I am very sorry that this happened to you and wish you a speedy recovery!

  4. David Huie Green on August 2nd, 2013 11:53 pm

    REGARDING:
    “Pits are victims of these man-made mutations to maul.”

    They are not man-made mutations.
    It is selective breeding, picking the naturally existing traits you desire the offspring to have.

    For example:
    If you want aggressive dogs, breed aggressive dogs.
    If you want strong jaws, breed dogs with strong jaws.
    Breed the two together and some will show both traits.
    Keep breeding the offspring showing the traits strongest and in a few generations you will have eliminated most undesirable traits.

    What’s more, if you then cross any of them with any other dog, there is a very good chance the offspring will still have those desired traits.
    (This comes up sometimes when people claim the dog which killed a child was only half pit. or only “looked” like a pit but was actually a mixed breed which coincidentally had those features and traits.)

    David for being careful of what you desire

  5. NWFLAFOB Linda on August 2nd, 2013 9:29 am

    For those asking where are the pit lovers when something like these attacks happen, please reread all the comments. Defenders of the breed have made plenty of common sense, non-stereotyping comments. Not all dogs are trustworthy just as not all humans are safe to turn your back on. Additionally, sympathy for the victims and agreement with the ultimate outcomes for the dogs is plentiful.

    For those demanding extermination of the breed and asking why pit defenders aren’t demanding mandatory spay and neuter of these dogs, you haven’t been paying attention to the overview of comments made by animal defenders. We’ve, in one forum or another, whole heartedly supported spay and neuter programs. BEGGED people to be responsible and spay/neuter their pets to avoid the overwhelming overpopulation of all dogs and cats. I believe there’s an inherent problem in the psychological makeup and certain inadequacy issues in humans who insist on overbreeding these dogs so they can thump their chests and brag on how many pups their dog just had. Ignorance breeds disaster. Are you aware many of these dogs are being found with gang symbols tattooed on their stomachs? You think the dogs volunteered for those symbols? Direct your anger, activisim, and comments toward the humans responsible for creating the problem.

    I also caution time and again against giving the government the power to tell anyone what sort of breed they are allowed to own in the form of BSL (breed specific legislation). You are courting individual liberty infringing disaster by opening that door.

  6. Stumpknocker on August 2nd, 2013 12:17 am

    You know you always hear these pit lovers defending these dogs,until they attack someone or kill someones livestock or pet,then there know were to be found.

  7. Rachel on August 1st, 2013 7:36 pm

    If you are not educated, own or interact with this breed you will never understand and will always make ignorant presumptions and comments. I could do pages and pages on this topic, but the world will still be full of ignorant (and I use that term as uneducated text) people that refuse to have a open mind or admit that there opinion may NOT be right.. As far as this situation I am def NOT saying the wrong descision was made, BUT to presume all of this breed or breed mixes are like this is very WRONG too.. Hope you judgmental people don’t claim to NOT be racist either cause your comments and thoughts on this situation say something completely different.. JMO putting ALL of this breed in one category is basically the same thing you would do with race/gender/ handicaps.. Again JMO

  8. don on August 1st, 2013 5:16 pm

    Scott, read my comment again and just read the words in capital letters.
    did this change your mind? jeeperman is right, you know.

  9. Scott on August 1st, 2013 3:40 pm

    Jeep,…. to be seen a sarcasm, Don’s post would have to take a position that would be viewed as ridiculous by the average reader. Unfortunately, the post is almost verbatim from what pit lovers have been posting lately.

  10. Debbie Bell on August 1st, 2013 3:28 pm

    If pit mongers, pit bully people cared about pits, they would support mandatory spay/neuter for pits. This may have saved these dogs’ lives. Obviously Mollie was not spayed at a young age and presumably the males were not either.

    RE: Buddy saving the owners. In Sharon’s video taped, she reported that first Mollie attacked, then Roscoe, then her own Buddy rushed in and BIT her once, too, but backed off. Then the two “stray” pits redirected their attention and attacking to Buddy, which enabled Sharon to escape.

    Why make a point of Buddy biting too? Because pits cannot help themselves. This you will learn if you read the books written by pit men from before 1980s. Pits who attack , maim and kill are “good” pits.

    The only good safe pits, the lucky pits, are pits who were never born.

  11. Debbie Bell on August 1st, 2013 3:21 pm

    Excellent post Terri.
    Pits are victims of these man-made mutations to maul. Stop making more victims. Stop breeding pits.

    Colby, pit fancier/fighter, breeder, and author wrote: “Inasmuch as dog fighting is illegal…, as long as these dogs are bred there will be pit contests to prove who owns the better fighting dog.”

    Of course, that’s what is happening and will continue to happen But he also tells us how to end dog fighting: Stop breeding pits!

    Enact and enforce mandatory spay/neuter microchipping of all pits, pit mixes, all dog aggressive dogs. Now that dog fighting is illegal, make breeding the fighting dog illegal too.

  12. jeeperman on August 1st, 2013 12:09 pm

    LOL, Hey Don, your sarcasm is flying at about 20 feet above everyone.

  13. Jennifer on August 1st, 2013 11:18 am

    Don, seriously you believe that none of these pit bulls should be put down for what they do, humans are put down for violence, that way of thinking is part of the problem with pit bull lovers!! When people start believing that animals are more precious than human life, we have issues!! I’m all for having pets, I happen to love my dog like family, of course it’s not a breed that is vicious, but if he ever showed aggression then something would have to be done!! You people won’t see till it’s you, your family, or a child mauled to make you see that these dogs are unpredictable!!!

  14. Ben on August 1st, 2013 10:28 am

    No, Don…research into pit bull attacks shows many of these are beloved family pets, not abused in any way. The owners have the illusion that they are gentle babies, and are devistated when they maul a child.

  15. don on August 1st, 2013 9:12 am

    it is a shame that the precious pitbulls were put down. they are such a gentle breed and none of them should ever be KILLed for doing what they do. i have said ALL along the are abuse by humans. PITBULLS go bad only when the owners are bad.

  16. terri on August 1st, 2013 8:28 am

    why are pits still legal to breed? breeders escape from paying any taxes , getting a license to breed healthy pets and ensure they have eligible homes for the puppies before breeding would be humanly ethical for our beloved dogs and cats. Hellllooo most of em end up in a shelter without homes. bit unfair to what we call “part of the family”.