Dogs that mauled 62-year-old Oakdale woman euthanized
Three dogs that attacked and seriously injured a 62-year-old woman in unincorporated Oakdale last month have been euthanized.
Kathy Lee was attacked by the three German shepherds while she was out for a walk on Mesa Drive on Dec. 30. The dogs escaped when their owner opened a gate surrounding the front of his home.
Lee’s husband Rick told The Bee his wife called him during the attack and he drove from their home down the street to help her.
Rick Lee said when he reached his wife the dogs’ 80-year-old owner was doing nothing to stop the attack, saying simply that he was too old.
Kathy Lee suffered severe injuries to her arms and legs in the attack and underwent more than five hours of surgery.
Lee was still in the hospital when she was reached by The Bee last week. She declined to comment.
The dogs were detained for a 10-day quarantine after the attack but their owner originally told authorities he wanted them back.
Annette Patton, Director of the Stanislaus Animal Services Agency, said she would petition the court to have the dogs deemed vicious but she didn’t have to. The dogs’ owner signed them over a few days later and they were euthanized on Thursday.
Patton said she did not think the owner would face any criminal charges.
This story was originally published January 12, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
