Overview

• Deputies were called around 3 a.m. on Sept. 23 to Mack's Way in Oneonta, Blount County, for a reported dog bite.
• Investigators say the dog first mauled its sitter, who had been caring for it for more than a month while the owner was jailed, severely injuring his hands.
• Visitors Sandra Wolfe Schaefer, 61, and her husband were attacked while trying to help, and Schaefer died from her injuries on Sept. 26.
• A neighbor ended the assault by shooting the dog after an initial attempt failed due to a gun malfunction, according to the sheriff's office.
• Officials report the dog tested negative for rabies, had no prior aggression noted under the sitter’s care, and no criminal charges are expected; Schaefer is at least the fifth dog-attack fatality in Alabama this year.