October 17, 2001

MORELAND, ARKANSAS -- A woman bled to death after being attacked by a group of pit bulls, and authorities captured three dogs that are believed to have bitten the woman.

The victim was identified Monday as Carolyn Joann Shatswell, 50, of Scottsville. Her body was found Saturday evening near the intersection of Arkansas highways 124 and 105 at Moreland.

Pope County Sheriff Jay Winters said the body was about 100 feet from property where the dogs were kept. Winters said an autopsy revealed that Shatswell died from "loss of blood due to multiple dog bites."

Shatswell had spent Friday night at a friends who lived about a quarter of a mile from where her body was found. At noon Saturday, she told her friend she was going for a walk. Winters said the woman didn't return. No one looked for the woman because she often went for walks in the woods, and people in the area often walked to a convenience store about a mile away.

Winters did not identify the dogs' owners. He said the people were not home at the time of the attack. The sheriff said the animals were trained to protect the property.

SEE ALSO:
'When you need a gun, you need a gun'

• CCW holder pulls gun on pit bulls
  (Oldsmar, Florida, September 3, 2001)
• Dog Shot to Save Toddler
  (Lake Wales, Florida, August 22, 2001)
• Neighbor rescues man and dogs from attacking pit bulls
  (Gainesville, Florida, August 4, 2001)
• Man smites dog that picked the wrong chew toy
  (Queens, New York, July 25, 2001
• Gun helpful in ending vicious dog attack
  (Stevensville, Maryland, July 21, 2001)
• Dog shot dead to stop vicious attack
  (Spokane, Washington, April 19, 2001)
• CCW permittee shoots attacking dog
  (Port St. Lucie, Florida, April 26, 2001)
• Woman solves attacking pit bull problem with handgun
  (Harpswell, Maine, March 27, 2001)
• Man shoots pit bull that was threatening his child
  (Arlington, Texas, May 18, 1999)

To read stories about other attacking animals and the most effective way to deal with them, click here.

To read stories showing the effective way of dealing with two-legged animals who attack you, click here.

"I am a staunch animal rights activist.  I believe that any animal stupid enough to attack me has a right to meet my .45 -- and that includes two-legged animals, too."