2015 Dog Bite Fatality: Pack of Dogs Kill Woman in Wagoner County, Oklahoma

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Redbird, OK - An 67-year old woman is dead after being brutally attacked by a pack of dogs Friday. Witnesses said the attack occurred on South Main Street. Wagoner County Sheriff Bob Colbert identified the victim as Carolyn Sue Lamp of Coweta. Sheriff Colbert said she was walking, collecting cans when she was attacked and killed by three dogs. One witness came to her aid and tried the pull the dogs off her, but by the time deputies arrived she was dead, lying in a ditch.

Sheriff Colbert does not believe anyone will claim ownership of the dogs. "But our investigation will continue, and we will present our findings to the district attorney and see if there will be any charges," Colbert said. KJRH.com identified the dog breeds as three pit bulls and a rottweiler. Residents told them the scene was gruesome and that Lamp was unrecognizable after the attack. Like in many fatal pit bull attacks and pack attacks, the dogs ripped off all of her clothes too.

Fox 23 news reporter Eddie Randle spoke to Sheriff Colbert and several deputies who said that all of the dogs were pit bulls. Colbert also said that last year, Lamb asked the nearby residents if she could feed these same dogs (apparently they were strays). "Its ironic," Colbert said, "this lady offered to help these same dogs that a year later took her life." No one who lived nearby claimed ownership, but told Randle that they do feed them. All of the dogs were seized and quarantined.

Long Time Stray Dog Problem

A variety of news sources and residents are commenting about the long time problem of stray dogs or owned dogs running loose in the area. Sheriff Colbert is aware of the problem, but said that the sheriff's office cannot help with animal control. Oklahoma state law only allows for cities with a population of 250,000 or more to be assigned an animal control officer. Small communities like Redbird (population 137) have no agency to call for help. Now an innocent woman is dead.

Tulsa 8 News interviewed two residents, one of whom tied to help Lamp, but she was already dead when he found her. "Oh yeah, she was dead, she wasn't breathing. You could look at her and tell that she wasn't breathing," he said, who asked to remain anonymous. Annette Panter, who lives just down the street, said as recently as this morning she shot at about 4 or 5 dogs. Panter said she always carries a gun because of the frequency of encountering aggressive stray dogs.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Oklahoma Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

5 thoughts on “2015 Dog Bite Fatality: Pack of Dogs Kill Woman in Wagoner County, Oklahoma”

How long will it take people to get the message? It is shocking to realize that people just tolerated these loose dogs rampaging around and putting all at risk.

Stray dogs are an attack waiting to happen.

The public must NEVER let their authorities ignore the stray and loose dog problem. It is of vital public health and safety interest.

All strays must be picked up by animal control promptly, and the owners of loose dogs must be held responsible and punished if they reoffend.

It is not just attacks that result from stray and loose dogs- it is rabies and other diseases and parasites, attacks on pets and farm animals, traffic accidents, and more.

Communities need to insist that their authorities deal with this problem fully and promptly.

we are told that "pit bulls are no more aggressive than poodles"

So, can someone explain to me why horrific, brutal maulings like this have never, ever happened with a pack of stray poodles?

Yeah, when was the last fatal poodle attack?

One of my favorite quotes from Mark Twain is certainly not applicable in today's age of having pit bulls as pets.

“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man.”

I always find it so interesting when pit bull promoters tout how loyal their dogs are…….except for the ones who kill their owners, family members or in this case a person who fed them.

I have seen comments indicating that these were someone's owned pit bulls.

I'm not buying what law enforcement is selling here for several reasons. I am wondering if the owner is not being screened from culpability. The "who you know" problem that the commenter below refers to.

Here is a comment left on your Facebook post by a resident of OK who is basically saying that the sheriff isn't being accurate here.

What is for sure, Oklahoma needs serious animal control updating NOW before there are more deaths. Every single community needs animal control, even if it is just a police officer assigned to those duties on the side.

"I'm not a native of this state. However, I've learned a lot in the last 25 years. In this state, truly, it's not what what you know but WHO you know. THAT is why things aren't likely to change anytime soon. I'm too old and sick now to even attempt change. I do know it to be a fact that there doesn't have to be a population of 250,000 for there to be animal control officers though. The nearest "city" to me is a hair over 30,000 and they DO have AC officers. Maybe it's just them, I don't know. I don't have personal knowledge of any other towns. My little area is under 700, and we can call the city if there's a dog on the loose. That's if you live in the city limits."

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joelande on July 25, 2015 at 4:58 pm said:

How long will it take people to get the message? It is shocking to realize that people just tolerated these loose dogs rampaging around and putting all at risk.

Stray dogs are an attack waiting to happen.

The public must NEVER let their authorities ignore the stray and loose dog problem. It is of vital public health and safety interest.

All strays must be picked up by animal control promptly, and the owners of loose dogs must be held responsible and punished if they reoffend.

It is not just attacks that result from stray and loose dogs- it is rabies and other diseases and parasites, attacks on pets and farm animals, traffic accidents, and more.

Communities need to insist that their authorities deal with this problem fully and promptly.
herzeleid on July 25, 2015 at 6:46 pm said:

we are told that "pit bulls are no more aggressive than poodles"

So, can someone explain to me why horrific, brutal maulings like this have never, ever happened with a pack of stray poodles?
Your Quiet Neighbor on July 26, 2015 at 12:44 am said:

Yeah, when was the last fatal poodle attack?
PutMeInCharge4OneDay on July 26, 2015 at 3:36 pm said:

One of my favorite quotes from Mark Twain is certainly not applicable in today's age of having pit bulls as pets.

“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man.”

I always find it so interesting when pit bull promoters tout how loyal their dogs are…….except for the ones who kill their owners, family members or in this case a person who fed them.
joelande on July 27, 2015 at 8:02 am said:

I have seen comments indicating that these were someone's owned pit bulls.

I'm not buying what law enforcement is selling here for several reasons. I am wondering if the owner is not being screened from culpability. The "who you know" problem that the commenter below refers to.

Here is a comment left on your Facebook post by a resident of OK who is basically saying that the sheriff isn't being accurate here.

What is for sure, Oklahoma needs serious animal control updating NOW before there are more deaths. Every single community needs animal control, even if it is just a police officer assigned to those duties on the side.

"I'm not a native of this state. However, I've learned a lot in the last 25 years. In this state, truly, it's not what what you know but WHO you know. THAT is why things aren't likely to change anytime soon. I'm too old and sick now to even attempt change. I do know it to be a fact that there doesn't have to be a population of 250,000 for there to be animal control officers though. The nearest "city" to me is a hair over 30,000 and they DO have AC officers. Maybe it's just them, I don't know. I don't have personal knowledge of any other towns. My little area is under 700, and we can call the city if there's a dog on the loose. That's if you live in the city limits."