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Article published Oct 5, 2007 Two dogs attack woman, puppy
By Jessica Stith of The Daily Times Staff A Maryville woman and her puppy were attacked by a boxer and a Boston terrier Wednesday morning. Deputies reported it was the dogs’ second attack this week. According to a Blount County Sheriff’s Office report, Deputies Terry Orr and Angie Thompson responded to Wilkinson Pike on the report of a dog bite. Upon arrival, they found Leslie W. O’Connor, 55, Wilkinson Pike, Maryville, bleeding from her hands and arms. O’Connor reported to deputies that she was taking her puppy out for a bathroom break. She said that while she was carrying her puppy in her front yard, two of her neighbor’s dogs attacked her and her puppy. While trying to run from the dogs, she fell on the asphalt. Deputies reported that O’Connor had multiple bites on her hands, arms and legs. She was taken by Rural/Metro Ambulance Service to Blount Memorial Hospital where she was treated and released. Leslie O’Connor’s husband, Bruce O’Connor, told The Daily Times that his wife was suffering from several severe lacerations and a broken bone in her hand. He said they had moved to Blount County a few months ago, and found a tan-and-black hound puppy on their back porch a few weeks ago. The O’Connors took the skinny and thirsty dog in, and named her “Sadie,” he said. The O’Connors said they think the puppy is about 8 weeks old. Deputies spoke to the owner of the boxer and Boston terrier, Leola R. Flynn, 47, Old Whites Mill Road, Maryville, and she could not tell them where her dogs were. They then located the dogs in another area of Old Whites Mill Road, the report said. When Thompson approached the area, deputies said the two dogs “showed aggression towards her patrol car with the boxer biting the tire and front bumper of the car.” Blount County Animal Control Officer Josh Everett arrived and picked up the boxer and Boston terrier. Thompson was able to rescue Sadie after finding her under a building near the other two dogs. Everett said the puppy was not injured. Deputies cited Flynn with “dog at large,” the report said. She will be required to appear in Blount County General Sessions Court to address the citation. According to the report, Flynn’s dogs were involved in another attack on Sunday. Bruce O’Connor said the dogs attacked another neighbor when she was retrieving her newspaper Sunday. Deputies reported there were “no shot records known” for Flynn’s dogs. Everett said the dogs would be quarantined and tested for rabies. Bruce O’Connor said he was promised that the two dogs would be put down because it was their second attack. He said “law enforcement was incredible” while at the incident, and he was appreciative for Everett, Thompson and Orr’s help, care and effort during their response to the call. O’Conner said he and his wife also wanted to thank God and “Mrs. Myers across the street took care of my wife, Leslie, until the ambulance arrived.”