TX - Lillian Stiles, 76, mauled to death by dogs, Thorndale, 26 Nov 2005

[Sassygerl]

I saw this lady's picture in the paper today, and she looked like a really nice, sweet, grandmotherly very active and full of life woman. Very sad, and sad for her family; I'm sure she had lots of years to look forward to with her grandchildren.

On KVUE they showed the husband talking...so sad, and the dogs barking at the camera (before they were euthanized). That poor woman! We just drove thru that town on Friday.....makes me so sad

 

[Marthatex]

I agree. I have had so many emails wanting me to rescue this atrocious dogs. I won't. People are always more importent, never forget that point. I love dogs but not at the point of human sacrifice.

Oh, man, I love dogs also - have two of them, but why does someone need 6 dogs like that, and if they do, keep them penned up. I'm surprised no one had complained before.

 

[IdahoMom]

http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=150624&SecID=2

If you click on the PLAY VIDEO button, it shows an interview with her darling, heartbroken husband.

SNIP

Stiles' husband Jack came outside and shot one of the dogs. It ran off and was found dead a short time later.

"By the time my dad got out there, she was already dead. By the time that man pulled up, they had already killed her, and dad said that if he - they ripped her clothes off. If he hadn't of seen her clothes and known it was in his yard, he wouldn't have known it was her," daughter Marilyn Shoemaker said.

 

[Casshew]

I take care of her, she is fed well, played with and spoiled totally rotten..

She even has her own swimming pool

 

[IdahoMom]

She even has her own swimming pool

Oh, that is too cute!

 

[Marthatex]

http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=150624&SecID=2

If you click on the PLAY VIDEO button, it shows an interview with her darling, heartbroken husband.

SNIP

Stiles' husband Jack came outside and shot one of the dogs. It ran off and was found dead a short time later.

"By the time my dad got out there, she was already dead. By the time that man pulled up, they had already killed her, and dad said that if he - they ripped her clothes off. If he hadn't of seen her clothes and known it was in his yard, he wouldn't have known it was her," daughter Marilyn Shoemaker said.

They were high school sweethearts, also.

I read in the paper today that the owner committed no crime; probably will not be prosecuted.

 

[SewingDeb]

http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=150734

Authorities Hands are Tied

Milam County authorities believe six dogs belonging to a nearby neighbor attacked and killed 76-year old Lillian Stiles of Thorndale Saturday afternoon.

The dogs are also believed to have bitten a man who tried to help the Stiles family. The animals have been euthanized. Their remains have gone to a lab for rabies testing.

The dogs present a unique problem for investigators attempting to pursue criminal charges against their owner. Milam County is a rural area, and there are no laws on the books that cover what happened to Stiles.

"What I'm incensed about is that somebody needs to be responsible for what happened to this woman," Milam County Sheriff Charlie West said.

Officers are proceeding with their investigation. A local veterinarian has collected evidence.

"We collected hair out of their mouths and saliva for DNA testing," veterinarian Valerie Bobbitt said.

What happened to Stiles in her own front yard has drawn attention to a small community that didn't want it -- putting pressure on authorities to act. County lawmakers say they can't even pass new laws that may stem from the incident.

 

[SadieMae]

Ohh how so sad for her hubby. 55 years of marriage to end in such a horrible way. I'll pray for her family, no one deserves a death like she suffered.

 

[aussiegran]

These dogs can come onto your property and kill you and then an owner cant be charged .:furious: I hope the owner never has a good nights sleep again.Why cant the laws be passed .People are going to keep dieing until these laws are passed everywhere.

 

[Details]

I suspected as much. A lot of rural communities like the idea that there aren't many laws, aren't these big city restrictions, and have plenty of owners of 'macho' dogs that like letting them be a terror, so they don't pass any laws to protect people. Then they have to live with the natural result of that.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

More and more, we're hearing about packs of dogs doing the killing. I'd like to see some legislation limiting the quantity of dogs that homeowners can own. I'll bet you that the owner of these dogs wasn't even covered by insurance for this sort of thing. So, even a lawsuit will probably give this family very little by way of compensation.

 

[Jules]

More and more, we're hearing about packs of dogs doing the killing. I'd like to see some legislation limiting the quantity of dogs that homeowners can own. I'll bet you that the owner of these dogs wasn't even covered by insurance for this sort of thing. So, even a lawsuit will probably give this family very little by way of compensation.

Jeana, we have deed restrictions in our subdivision regarding how many pets you can have. We can have 2 dogs. However, the problem is, many won't follow the restrictions and it would be very hard to enforce.

Wonder if the guy even owned the house or rented it. There may be no insurance at all and, if there is, I doubt there is any provision for dog attacks.

Sooooo sad....

 

[Jeana (DP)]

That's terrific! In order for charges to be brought however, the law needs to be changed in this area. Homeowners rules and regulations are one thing, but they can't do much legally. Hopefully, this family will be able to sue the crap out of them though.

 

[2sisters]

Gosh, it seems like every week there is a new story like this. What is going on with these dogs? I guess its how the owners treat or train them. My sister in law has a pitbull and it has never hurt a fly in the 10 years she has had it, but he is also treated like good and no one has ever been mean to it or instructed it to hurt anything. I have seen it chase cats and thats it , he has been with kids and her own children and he is nothing but gentle. In our area we have a problen with rottwilers and pitbulls being trained to fight, I guess its a popular activity and this is why you see so much of this.

 

[Sassygerl]

I saw more on our local news earlier....I don't know if this has been posted yet, but this pack of dogs was contained by a THREE foot fence!!!! WTF??? I saw the dogs as well before being euthanized on the news and it's a miracle these dogs weren't out more often....or maybe they were? A three foot fence is not responsible for sure! Prayers for the family.

 

[LinasK]

i agree, and i do feel bad for current PB/rott owners who ARE like you... i just don't know what other solution there is, and it's sad that society has come to this. there are just too many drug dealers, thugs and other assorted idiots who want these dogs to feel like a macho bad-*ss, and it's really gotten out of control. maybe a compromise would be that the people who have their dogs current on shots, fixed, & have a secure fence, and only have one or maybe 2 can be allowed to keep, but they must check in with animal control once a year, or perhaps apply for an be issued a special type of tag.. but no one can be allowed to get NEW dogs of this type... and this also would mean that the pound would have to start putting all of these breeds to sleep (and i assume that a lot of them do already).
then anyone caught having more than the alloted number, or an unfixed one, or one NOT in a secure fence, etc.. would have to pay a hefty fine AND fix the problem.

Ummm, actually these are practical solutions short of outright banning the breed. They are being enacted in the S.F. Bay Area now.

 

[concernedperson]

This was from a dog attack. A face transplant. OMG....


http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/11/30/france.face/index.html

 

[OkieGranny]

From October 2008:

http://www.tdtnews.com/archive/article_ffe26fb6-6f7f-50e0-b6d5-bb4eed96a786.html

A Stephens County couple was sentenced to prison in connection with the dog-mauling death of a child, marking the first conviction under Lillian's Law, a state statute named in honor of Thorndale-area resident Lillian Stiles, who was killed three years ago by a pack of Rottweiler-pit bull cross dogs...

A 20th District Court jury in Milam County in March 2007 acquitted Jose Hernandez, the owner of six dogs on neighboring property that attacked and killed Mrs. Stiles...

Passed into law in 2007 by the Texas Legislature, House Bill 1355 by state Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown, and state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, imposes felony penalties against a dog owner if the pet causes serious bodily injury or death to a victim in an unprovoked attack. Penalties range from two to 20 years in prison plus fines.