LIBERTY COUNTY, Texas – People who live in a Cleveland community say they are in fear for their lives and feel shut in.
They say about two and a half months ago, stray dogs began to take over their neighborhood on Rd 5203.
Two of the most recent attacks happened on Thanksgiving Day. A woman who asked not to be identified says her cousin was trying to help a delivery driver from being attacked when the pack of dogs turned on him. He was left with multiple bruises and bite marks.
“I don’t have a life, I can’t go out, I’m constantly scared about leaving my house. Coming home at night I have to stay in my car for 35 minutes to an hour to make sure these dogs are not anywhere around,” the woman said.
Across the street a woman named Emily Curtis says she was trying to go to work on Thanksgiving when about eight dogs attacked her relentlessly before a neighbor came to her rescue.
“I was attacked and it was completely unprovoked,” Curtis said.
Monday, we noticed Curtis was bandaged up, but wounds all throughout her body were still visible. There is also a trail of blood outside her home.
“I feel every bite, I remember every ripping of the dogs heads and and I just thank god that a neighbor came out and got them off of me because I may have been dead,” she said. “The same dogs that have attacked me have attacked Amazon drivers, have attacked Terminix employees on this same street.”
People who live in that community complain that Liberty County does not have its own animal control division, and the sheriff’s office says they’re overwhelmed and advised residents to shoot the dogs if they feel threatened.
Cpt. Meyers with the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office says since the county doesn’t have an animal control division, deputies respond to 911 calls regarding dog bites.
Meyers explained when the deputy responds, he usually tried to locate the owner of the dog, however, if the deputy is unable to locate the owner or if the dog is a stray, the deputy will call either the City of Liberty or the City of Dayton animal control.
A lot of times, if the dog is a stray, Meyers explains the dog may no longer be at the scene when the deputy arrives. The problem with relying on the other cities is they may not be able to come out after hours.
On Monday, KPRC 2 crews saw several dogs wandering the neighborhood that were said to be responsible for the attacks.
We’ve reached out to several county commissioners hoping to hear about a solution in the works, but so far have not heard back.
