A shocking incident unfolded in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, involving an elderly woman and her neighbor’s dogs.
The woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, found herself in a dire situation after falling in her driveway on Randall Avenue.
The Attack
According to neighbor Randall Averette, the woman was walking on her driveway when she lost her balance and fell.
As she struggled to get back on her feet, her neighbor’s dogs attacked her.
Averette recounted, “When I went over there, she was laying on the ground, paramedics bandaging her up.”
He described her injuries as “graphic,” noting that she had significant wounds on her calf, bites on her right leg and arm, and injuries to her neck.
Another neighbor witnessed the horrifying attack and immediately called 911 upon seeing the woman on the ground.
Cheryl Boudreaux, the witness’s daughter, shared her mother’s frantic calls for help, saying, “She was like, ‘Y’all need to hurry up and get here. Hurry up and get here. They are eating this woman.’”
Initially fearing the worst, Boudreaux said her mother thought the woman might be dead.
Hospitalization and Legal Consequences
The elderly woman was transported to a local hospital, but her condition remains unknown.
Meanwhile, the owner of the dogs, Maria Vincent, has been arrested and charged with negligent injuring and allowing her dogs to roam freely.
Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard warned other pet owners about the potential legal repercussions, stating, “You can be charged with negligent injuring, and you can be sued by these homeowners for medical bills.
It’s going to come back to bite you, that’s what’s going to happen.”
This incident isn’t the first involving Vincent’s dogs; she has faced previous citations for similar attacks.
Sheriff Ard indicated, “She’s been through the system already, she’s been fined. Here we are again, same dog, same situation. Now someone’s seriously hurt; something has got to change.”
Previous Victims Speak Out
Boudreaux disclosed that her 85-year-old mother had also been bitten twice by Vincent’s dogs but was hesitant to report the incidents.
“Both times she required medical attention,” Boudreaux said, expressing frustration that it took such a serious incident for action to be taken.
“We’re just furious, you know, because we don’t understand why it had to get to this,” she added, relieved that the dogs were finally removed from the situation.
Taking Action
Sheriff Ard confirmed that all three dogs were taken to the Livingston Parish Animal Control Center, with the owner surrendering two of them.
The future of these dogs is still uncertain.
He emphasized the importance of self-protection in encounters with dangerous animals, advising people to do whatever they feel is necessary to safeguard themselves and their families.
“You have a right to protect you, your property, your kids,” he asserted.
This alarming incident raises critical questions about pet ownership responsibilities and community safety.
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