DECATUR — A local woman, Sue Etris, was mauled by a pack of dogs while walking on the track in Veterans Park on Thursday.

Etris was taken to the hospital by ambulance after five dogs attacked her and pulled her to the ground, according to a report from the Decatur Police Department. She had lacerations on her foot and leg, and possibly a broken shoulder, the report said.

Julie Oaks, who witnessed the attack, told police she was parked on the north side of the park when the attack occurred. Oaks said she drove her car to where the dogs were and tried to scare them away for Etris. Oaks said when she began throwing rocks at the dogs they turned and began to growl at her.

According to the report, a neighbor, W.T. Landwehr, had noticed several large dogs chasing his cats and then heard his neighbor’s dogs barking. He grabbed his pistoland went outside to see what was going on and found Etris sitting on the track with Oaks standing over her, according to the report.

Landwehr told police that as he walked toward the two women, the dogs came at him growling. He fired four shots, striking and injuring one of the dogs. The other dogs ran back toward their home, the report said.

All of the dogs were medium sized and of mixed breed, according to police chief Terry Luker. They belonged to Connie Ross, whose property borders the park.

Ross told police this is the second time in a month her dogs have bitten someone. She provided police with current rabies tags for all the animals.

The dogs were transported to Country View Animal Care in Gravette, where they were all euthanized at the owner’s request, the report stated.

Ross was issued four citations for dogs at large and four citations for owning vicious dogs, all violations of city ordinances.

News, Pages 1 on 05/19/2010