Leann Gratzer, 61, was killed by familiar pit bulls while approaching her daughter's home.
Dog Owners Confirmed
UPDATE 12/08/21: Two male pit bulls and one female pit bull-mix that killed a woman have been euthanized. Previously, the female dog was reported to be a "mixed-breed." That dog, however, was identified by its owner, the victim's daughter, as a "red/brown pit" that bolted from her property in September. That any officials are still calling this dog a "mixed-breed" is inaccurate. The dog's characteristics are predominantly pit bull, and it was in a household with two other pit bulls.
Leann Gratzer, 61, was mauled to death Monday outside of her daughter's home, reports the St. Louis-Dispatch, confirming details in our original post. The pit bulls were in a yard that had an underground invisible electric fence, Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton said in an interview Wednesday. The same yard with an invisible electric fence that the daughter's female pit bull-mix bolted from in September. At that time, her dog, "my baby girl," did not have the electric collar on.
No one witnessed the attack, Sheriff Pelton said. The daughter lives next door to Gratzer in the 2400 block of Highway TT. No records of previous complaints that the dogs behaved aggressively were reported to county officials, Sheriff Pelton said. "It's such a sad situation," Sheriff Pelton said. "She'd [Gratzer] been around the dogs numerous times. I don't have an answer as to why the dogs attacked her." Gratzer's daughter and her daughter's roommate owned all three pit bulls.
"A Sad Situation"
"Intra-family" dog attacks resulting in death, specifically when the dogs mutilate and kill the parent of the dogs' owner, are horrible. In this case, as well as the September case of two pet rottweilers killing the elderly mother of the dogs' owner, at least resulted in the dog's being put down. That was not true after Loretta Moore, 84, was killed by her son's dog pack, also in September. James Moore fought county officials, and four of the dogs that killed his mother were returned to him.
12/08/21: Woman Killed by Familiar Pit Bulls
St. Clair, MO - On Monday, Franklin County sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a female found deceased in the 2400 block of Highway TT, states a press release. "During the course of the investigation, it was learned that the female had gone to a relative's residence, as she approached the house she was attacked by dogs that were on the property. During the attack, the victim received a fatal injury from the dogs and succumbed to her injuries," states the release.
Authorities identified the woman as Leann Gratzer, 61, who lived in an area that contains multiple properties where family members also reside, including where her daughter resides, according to online searches. Gratzer was a neighbor and relative of the dogs’ owner, reports the eMissourian. The dogs and the victim were reportedly familiar with one another and hadn’t had any issues in the past. The sheriff's office confiscated three dogs, two pit bulls and a mixed-breed.
"The victim was walking down to the residence, which is known to them, a relative of the animal owners. And the victim was attacked by the animals." - Sheriff Steven Pelton
In early September, her daughter's female pit bull-mix "took off" after a storm. "She is usually on an invisible fence but she did not have her collar on!" states the September 2 Facebook post. Her dog was later located. Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton also stated that the dogs involved in the attack were two males and one female. Pelton did not confirm the relationship between the dog’s owner and the victim, only that everyone involved was cooperating with the investigation.
In a highly disturbing "pit bull glorification" meme posted by Gratzer's husband in December 2018 to his Facebook page, one sees a bloody, gruesome scene after a person allegedly broken into a home through a window. The post states, "To the person who broke into my house last night. I hope you liked the dog." A pit bull is also seen in the meme. Ironically and more appropriately, the caption could read: "To the relative who walked to my house last night. I hope you liked the dog."
It wasn't that long ago when media outlets across the country highly glorified two pit bulls that killed a man, who was dubbed a "possible intruder" by police. Typical comments left on social media at the time included, "The dogs were just doing their job!" and "Even if it was an intruder, trespassing is not a death penalty crime." The truth is, the majority of people that pit bulls fatally attack are well known to the dogs, specifically, 53%, over the 16-year period of 2005 to 2020.
A female pit bull-mix owned by the victim's daughter bolted after a storm in early September.
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10/09/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: 84-Year Old Woman Killed by Son's Dogs in Indiana...
09/26/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Killed by Pit Bull She was Dog Sitting in Myrtle Point
Law enforcement departments across the United States should release consistent "baseline" information to the media and the public after each fatal dog mauling, including these items.
What a horrible thing to have your dogs kill a family member. And sure the pit lovers will be praising the dogs b since to their twisted minds just because she has been there before how could they know welcome this time. I don’t care if an actual intruder unless they are physically threatening me I don’t want my dogs to bite, let alone kill. That isn’t their job, they bark, I take care of the situation.
Whether she was killed by the dangerous breed canines on public or private property is not very important. Whether or not the dead victim was familiar with the dangerous deadly canines is not of utmost importance. Same with whether or not the deadly predators were at large or secured. Same with whether or not the killer dogs were always so friendly or not.
The two most important aspects of the deadly circumstance of the situation are the presence of the causative agent and the absence of the preventative agent. A human person was in proximity to one or more dangerous breed canines while lacking adequate physical defense that would have given her a reasonable chance at being successful in surviving the attack. If she had the ability to successfully defend herself, the local established powers who love dogs more than humans would have demonized and criminalized the victim.
She didn’t have the ability to save herself, so now there is this brief, fleeting reminder of the deadly risk that dangerous breed canines pose at all times. In the next 12 months, there will be many thousands of additional traumatic injury reminders, just in this country. But, to zero avail, until the deadly breed canines are sterilized and euthanized out of existence from our so-called civilized society. Good people who love their neighbors can only pray to Heaven for such a public safety event to actually occur on the hostile surface of this world.
I was pleasantly surprised that there wasn’t a “Thanksgiving Spike” of additions to this blog as I was expecting.
I figured that with families/inlaws and dangerously unpredictable dogs coming together over the holidays would equal more tragedy along with the ER visits from mere non-fatal biting. But perhaps the reality is being kept mum. The Holiday Push may still hit us with delayed reports.
Learn from the mistake here, folks. If you feel that you absolutely must have a dog, get one that doesn’t possess the ability to sever limbs.
You’ll find that a beagle can be just a lovable as a fighting breed. And you can feel all the more protective towards a beagle by keeping it away from dogs that can bite it in half in little more than a blink of an eye.
I did see one where some serious injury but not a fatality. If these were happening before the quick medical care was available, I know the fatalities would be so much higher. Yet so many of the injuries are life changing also, not something you get usually with other dog bites.
Unfortunately, plenty of mauling incidents which most of us never hear about. Unless, it’s a “model/Instagram influencer” who lost her lips and part of her nose. “She still loves dogs!” (It was her friend’s pit bull.) Her story was widely circulated, including on Inside Edition. Hundreds of children are mauled and endure countless surgeries every year. Pediatric surgeons are begging parents to not bring these monsters into the home. And, yet, they do because the media will not cover negative dog stories.
QUOTE FROM ARTICLE: “She, (meaning the DOG), is usually on an invisible fence but she did not have her collar on!” Always some PISS POOR EXCUSE from the owner. These dogs need to disappear from the Earth.
Invisible fences are worthless. A dog with half a brain can jump over the wiring that’s buried in the yard.
Sorry for the loss of your loved one.
Lightning can strike twice. Please don’t repeat the mistake.
And yet pit nutters will continue to refer to these beasts as ‘loyal’. They call them the most loyal of all dog breeds. What kind of ‘loyal’ dog kills the humans it knows more often than strangers?
How often do you hear of poodles killing their owners, their owner’s babies, or their owner’s relatives? What about spaniels? Retrievers?
It is mainly bully breeds which attack and kill people it is familiar with, but somehow they will still be praised as being loving and loyal. People will still promote them as great with kids, great family dogs. A family dog is not one that is most likely to kill your family!
Ted Bundy was cuddly and loyal. After he kidnapped tortured and killed his victims oh, he would sometimes return to their bodies for cuddling until they decomposed too much.
That’s loyal!
The owner referred to it as her “Baby Girl.” Well, her baby girl killed grandma. There seems to be a spike lately of older women (often relatives) being murdered by these worthless mutts. I see them everywhere now, whether full-blooded pit or pit-mix. The gene pool of dogs has been forever contaminated. Even so, I can identify it in their dead eyes, almost empty eyes. Humankind created this monster breed.
so it’s possible some pit owners can learn something? amazing.
Yeah, but they seem to learn the hard way — and no other way.
It is a hard lesson and one I hope to never go through.
I will say that those who I’ve known that have gone through a tremendous personal tragedy and are still able to keep their chin up and carry on are an inspiration to many of us.
Should I ever suffer such misfortune, I’ll find some encouragement and solace in the memory of those who somehow found the strength to continue.
Please…Be an inspiration. We need all the courageous people we can muster.
No witnesses to the attack. Welp, incoming pit nutters who will insist that Leann provoked the monster dogs into killing her. Only good news here is that the beasts were put down.
It still infuriates me that not only is it legal to own these things, but it is legal to own multiple of them! Who needs three freaking pit bulls?!
The change in behavior is not due to learning. The change in behavior is due to being physically traumatically forced to acknowledge and abandon their evil ways. Only when the trauma strikes at home does this sometimes happen. The horror of the proliferation of dangerous breed canines is not caused by lack of knowledge. Any non-decorticate human being is fully capable of instantly and correctly discerning a dangerous unpredictably aggressive animal. Denial on the part of the dangerous dog pushers is caused by excessive evil, not by insufficient education.
Who needs one or more dangerous breed canines? Evil people who hate their neighbor, their family and their own selves.
You pointed out the gory meme on the victim’s husband’s profile (alleged guard dog attack at opened window…Photo of pit bull featured)…You did not show the dialogue…See below:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FCTYpX4c75ksc1du9
Deceased Victim’s pit owning daughter chides her father (victim’s husband) for posting pitter sardonic humor…ie. “And you yell at me for liking pits”…Father replies with sticker of laughing green blob ghost from the original Ghostbusters movie…
THAT conversation was between the two neighbor/family members two years ago…Someone in that family preached pit bull propaganda to a concerned neighbor/parent who OWNED both properties and sold a parcel to the child when she started a family…
You would think that the parents would have some sort of financial leverage and veto power here…But it was either not used or there was pushback with a charm offensive…The old “my dogs are part of this family” power play that puts parents on defensive and holds the unspoken threat, ” keep it up and YOU will not be…” The implicit threat is that the relationship between parent and offspring and grandparent and grandchildren will be ended…
Well, with this death, MANY familial relationships are ended — by the dogs owned by someone who did not take boundaries seriously even after the first near miss of the runaway dog and the electric fence folly…
Family members need to push back HARD on pit bull propaganda and let their nearest and dearest know that pit bull proximity will NOT BE TOLERATED…The life you save may be your own or someone else in the household (including the pit bull apologist)…Go HARD in saying, “No pit bull attended visits,…EVER!…Risk some friction for the good of the family…Later, the pit bull owner may thank you for standing strong in tough love when their pit betrays their unreasonable unconditional trust…
Nothing says ‘holidays’ like having your mom killed by your four legged meat grinders. These people should as irresponsible as most pit owners. No REAL fence, dog sans collar. Typical.
Invisible Fence does not recommend anyone using its fence for aggressive dogs.
I am confused by whom and why pit bulls bite. My 12 year old spayed female beagle mix named Digger was killed by an intact male pit bull. The pit bull was running loose with an intact pit bull female and a mixed breed intact male (intact male with no pit bull in it.). Why did the male pit bull leave its yard to kill an opposite sex old dog. Only the pit bull male put any major bites on Digger. The other two dogs were present but not biting. Digger died due to a single bite to the back of her neck. Digger weighed about 25 pounds.
Oh Rachel I am so sorry for you and your lovely beagle.
And why do they target an old dog? Same reason they target my dog with a limp, every chance they get–they are exhibiting predatory behaviour towards a dog that they believe, can’t defend itself.
Nice dogs, like goldies, will actually be careful with senior and disabled dogs, much of the time. They’re civilized.
“Bullies” isn’t just a breed, it’s a description. Of both dog and many of their owners.