TWO vicious male Pit Bull dogs yesterday savaged 51-year-old Joan Carter in the Lot 232 Lamaha Springs and Henry Avenue yard she had shared with her brother-in-law and his wife.

The Guyana Chronicle was informed that the woman had moved into the property approximately three months ago, and had never been fond of the ferocious beasts. She would usually lock herself away from them whenever

they were loosed in the yard.

She was reportedly sweeping the yard at the back of the main house yesterday, where she had built herself a small cottage, when tragedy struck. It is unclear how the dogs got out of their kennel, but according to eyewitnesses, one of the dogs approached the woman and she began fending it off with her broom, and they immediately attacked her.

Eyewitnesses said Ms Carter valiantly fought the dogs, but was overpowered by them, and succumbed to her injuries at her doorstep as she was trying to make her way back into the home.

This newspaper was informed that the woman had had some amount of mental problems, and had indicated to her sister and brother-in-law that she was not very comfortable living in the yard with the two dogs, given the history of pit bulls.

Her brother-in-law reportedly discovered her on her knees. He told reporters who had gathered at the scene that the woman is not usually home alone with the dogs, and that since she began living in the yard, yesterday was the only time that she had been left home alone with the animals.

He also indicated that he is strongly considering putting the dogs down following the attack, although he made it clear that he does not see them as a threat to himself or to his wife.

No one reported hearing screams, and it was only when the owner of the dogs returned home that he discovered the dogs at the gate, which was a bit unusual, especially since their mouths were bloodied.

The first thought he had was that another dog had been in the yard, but when he went to the back of the house to investigate, he found his sister-in-law on her knees.

When the chronicle visited the scene of the tragedy, blood was all over the back yard, and on the door and exterior walls of the woman’s apartment, an indication that she had tried to fend the dogs off and get back into her home.

Relatives and friends of the family showed up at the home in numbers after receiving word of the tragedy. And the dead woman’s daughter expressed shock at her passing in such a terrible manner.

(By Leroy Smith)