COLUMBUS, OH – A dog attack on Thursday afternoon claimed the life of a 73-year-old woman and another local pet, leaving the Harrison Township community shaken. The incident unfolded around 3:30 p.m. in the 600 block of Kildow Court as emergency services rushed Jo Echelbarger to Grant Medical Center. Despite their best efforts to save her, she succumbed to her severe injuries after suffering cardiac arrest.
Authorities are investigating the attack, and the Franklin County Coroner’s Office has confirmed Echelbarger as the victim. Meanwhile, another dog’s life was also lost in the unfortunate incident.
Courtney Johnson, a resident who witnessed the attack, shared her harrowing experience. Walking her two dogs through the neighborhood, Johnson suddenly found herself faced with a vicious assault as a dog latched onto her Goldendoodle, Sonny. Acting quickly, Johnson managed to save one dog by unhooking both and fleeing, but Sonny couldn’t be rescued in time.
The Pickaway County Dog Warden, Preston Schumacher, stated that both of the aggressive dogs involved were shot by police for community safety reasons. He revealed that there is a criminal investigation underway regarding the dogs’ owner, with plans to convene with the county prosecutor soon.
Emotionally affected by the incident, Schumacher expressed his condolences to the families impacted, acknowledging the difficult reality of such situations and the broader responsibility of pet ownership and community safety.
Johnson, grieving the loss of her pet, emphasized the need for the dog owner to face repercussions. She underscored the importance of evolving laws to prevent further tragedies, pointing to the owner’s previous history with aggressive animals.
While Ashville police remain tight-lipped pending their inquiry, they assured that more details might be forthcoming in the next week.