64-year-old woman shoots two pit bull terriers to save owner’s life

The brave actions of 64-year-old Florida Lake resident on the West Rand Lorraine Brown more than likely prevented a fatal dog attack on Sunday, Roodepoort Record reports.

On three previous occasions, Lorraine’s neighbour’s pit bull terrier attacked her boerboel, either through the palisades or by actually scaling the wall. On a fourth occasion, it managed to bite Lorraine.

On Sunday, a painter was painting the gate to her property when she heard a woman screaming. She went out to enquire from the painter what was going on.

He told her it was a domestic disturbance. She went back into her house but again heard a woman screaming frantically. When she came outside, she was met with a gruesome sight – her neighbour was struggling down her driveway with her two pit bull terriers hanging on to her.

Lorraine thought quickly, ran back into the house and grabbed her taser. She put her hand through the palisades to tase the dogs but the device had no effect on them. It was then that one of the dogs grabbed her hand.

The neighbour then started screaming that Lorraine must shoot the dogs.

READ MORE:Pinetown community calls for euthanasia of killer pit bulls

George, Lorraine’s husband, ran indoors and fetched the couple’s firearm, a .375 Magnum. Lorraine took the powerful revolver, knowing she’s a decent shot. She was faced with a serious problem – she had to aim very carefully in order not to hit her neighbour.

As she put the gun through the palisades one of the dogs stormed her but she managed to shove the barrel into the dog’s mouth and pull the trigger. The second dog posed an even bigger problem since he was on top of the neighbour. But when Lorraine saw the dog going for the woman’s face, she fired the second shot, and killed the dog.

The dogs’ owner’s arm and chest had been torn apart and she had to be rushed to hospital by ambulance.

Lorraine suffered wounds to her hand. At first it was thought the dog broke her hand, but at the clinic she was taken to, it was established it was soft tissue damage only.

“I am extremely shocked and traumatised by the incident,” said Lorraine, who is not only an avid animal lover but also a dedicated vegetarian.

Lorraine said she was surprised that even neighbours from across the lake rushed over after they heard the woman’s screams and the gunshots. Members of the police on the scene told Lorraine she “did the right thing”.

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– Caxton News Service

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