Coroner: Dogs Killed Man Aiding Dying Wife

(AP)  An elderly woman killed by a pack of wild dogs had been out for a walk when she was attacked, and her husband died trying to fight off the mauling animals when he discovered the bloody scene near their rural Georgia home, authorities said Tuesday.

Preliminary autopsy results showed Lothar Karl Schweder, 77, and his 65-year-old wife, Sherry, died from multiple animal bites.

Authorities have rounded up about 11 dogs suspected in the rare attack and returned to the area Tuesday to find four more spotted by a deputy. The dogs were being held by animal control officials while authorities decide what to do with them, said Jim Fullington, special agent for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

"It just appears that a large number of dogs had started living, running together, multiplying and had grown into what I would describe as a pack of wild or feral-type dogs," Fullington said.

Sherry Schweder had told one of her sons that there were several dogs wandering the neighborhood that no one seemed to be caring for, Fullington said.

Authorities said it appeared Sherry Schweder was attacked by the pack of dogs during a Friday evening walk near her home. Authorities believe her husband later went looking for her in the family car.

Investigators found Sherry Schweder's bloody shirt underneath the car, which was about six to eight feet from her body, said Madison County Coroner James Mathews.

Lothar Schweder was then attacked and apparently struggled with the dogs, Mathews said. His body was found on the other side of the dirt road, about 16 to 18 feet from his wife's body.

Evidence indicates Lothar Schweder put up a fight and may have tried to pull out a cell phone before he was overtaken, Mathews said.

Experts say such attacks are extremely rare — and instances where more than one person is attacked are even more rare.

"You are more likely to killed by a bolt of lightening than by a dog," said Adam Goldfarb, a spokesman for the Humane Society of the United States. "It's one in millions."

There have been at least 20 deadly dog attacks in the U.S. this year, 22 in 2008 and 33 in 2007, Goldfarb said, compared with about 75 million owned dogs. Many dogs that turn vicious aren't necessarily pets but kept for hunting or breeding, or as guard dogs.

Dogs that attack also typically are not spayed or neutered, which can contribute to aggression, Goldfarb said. He said it's likely the dogs in the Georgia attack weren't sterilized.

Authorities said they interviewed a man at a house down the street where several dogs were staying. Fullington said the man was not staying at the house full time.

Fullington could not say whether anyone would face charges, citing the ongoing investigation.

A family friend told the Athens Banner-Herald that Lothar Karl Schweder was a retired professor who had taught German at the University of Georgia, which is about 20 miles away in Athens. German Department head Martin Kagel did not know of Schweder but said it might be possible he worked there part time or more than 20 years ago.

Sherry Schweder was a bibliographer at the university's library, where she had worked since 1974, selecting books and journals for the school's humanities collection, said librarian William Potter.

[toldyouso29]

What do they mean that they are holding them to decide what to do with them? They should all be put down, once an animal knows how easily it can kill a human and can get away with it, that animal is not likely to ever see humans as anything more than potential prey ever again. Kill them--it won't deter other dogs--but it will ensure that particular "pack" won't be attacking people again.

[barbaram99]

Sterilise the pets. They will return to their wild ways. Put the blame where it is to placed. 2 seniors DEAD. The lesson here is humans dumped the dogs. It must stop. I love dogs but don't wish to own one. Sure they can turn on a person. Children beg for one. We had a dog years ago and he tried to go for my neck. I am legally blind. I fed him. My room room turned him in to the place where he got the dog. I told my friend the dog is not safe to be with me. The dog was mean. They did not tell Vince. People need both sides of dog ownership. Just a few days ago I was walking to Safeway. On the other side of the sidewalk a lady was walking her dog. The dog was meam..growling etc. I told my freiend there was a nasty dog on a lease.It should have been put to sleep. When they are nasty there is not safe way to place them in homes. What is sice is people treat their darling dog as a person dressing it up in human clothes. It is a dog. Ladies carry them in a big purse. It is a dog. They will put the dog in a baby arriage dressed as an infant. It is a dog. I love well mannered dogs that are socalised. Not a mean attacking dog. Feral anials need to be rounded up, People need to be good pet owners. Another group persons are the ones that take in every stray andit backfires. Children want a dog. There are software where they can have a pet on the computer. I have a pet on the computer. It ia safer. People ask me why I don't have a seeing eye as I am legally blind. I want want one as I have other handicaps. They should put the dogs to sleep as they can't safely live with humans.

[erasmus111]

by TheMasses2016 August 18, 2009 3:46 PM EDT
It could have been a double suicide.
I would have picked a quicker, more painless way though.



How old are you? Just curious.

[erasmus111]

It's funny how people always have to find someone to blame. Now it's PETA. Peta has nothing to do with this. The ones that need to be blamed are the people that insist on getting an animal and then not looking after it. If there are a number of dogs that aren't being fed and looked after, they will form a pack.

[Brandywine33]

This is tragic not only for the two senior citizens but for the dogs as well. However, it goes back to the irresponsible people who let these dogs roam as they please and have litters of unwanted puppies. The dogs are not to blame, they will revert back to their wild instincts when left to form packs just like their ancient ancestors, the wolves. Now that they have tasted human blood there will most likely be no alternative than putting them down. It's the people who once owned these dogs or their mammas and daddies but let them roam wild that are to blame ultimately for this tragic incident.

[johnbrown8888]

You ever try to get local animal control people to do something about neighbor's dogs that are just waiting for a chance to attack somebody?

They are pretty useless.

And if you shoot a dog, expect the PETA-people to be out in front on your house picketing, slashing your tires, and threatening your life.

It's time for our "leaders" to realize that dog owners must be made criminally liable for actions of their beloved little poochie pies.

Time to pass some laws so owners of assault dogs can't just slide off with a warning again and again. Like laws that provide for some jail time.

[brianp55]

Purchase a Whisper pellet rifle and take matters into your own hands.

[rhs648]

Lets give the animal control people a break. They rounded up the dogs and they ate being held by the authorities. The authorities will make a decision about the fate of the dogs. From this article, it appears that they have done everything by the book. Lets hope they make a good decision.

[saturn05]

Man people are mean on here. The dogs will get put down, they always do that in cases like this. My bet is that they want to find out if someone has been feeding them or should have had them penned up. They do like to investigate matters before just killing the dogs and be done with it. If there is an owner, they want to charge them. I also doubt that PETA has a lot to do with a matter like this. I have seen much less fatal cases where the dogs get killed right away. PETA may have some power, but I don't think they will dictate anything in this case.

[brianp55]

"You are more likely to killed by a bolt of lightening than by a dog," said Adam Goldfarb, a spokesman for the Humane Society of the United States. "It's one in millions."

Hey Adam, if they could, I think the Schweders would disagree with you.

[th9876]

Here is what happens - people have dogs and do not get them sterilized. Inevitably there will be puppies that the owners then dump somewhere to let them fend for themselves. Irresponsible pet owners are responsible for this tragedy- people who do not get their pets neutered or spayed are responsible for this tragedy. Sure, the dogs will eventually be killed but the irresponsible owners will continue dumping puppies and dogs they should be responsible for and more tragedies will follow. Human ignorance.