LCSO: Woman shoots pit bull, her own dog in Lehigh during mauling melee

Writer: Matias Abril
Published: Updated:
Papa on the vet’s table. Image courtesy LCSO

According to Lee County Sheriff’s Office, a Lehigh Acres woman shot at three pit bulls with a Glock to defend her own dogs, leaving two dogs injured, including one of her own.

On Tuesday evening, Annette Sloan said she was walking her two dogs, Papa and Gabby, when three pit bulls ran out from a house she was walking past and attacked Papa, according to a report by deputies.

Sloan told deputies, she got knocked to the ground by one of the canines. During the attack, Sloan stood up, pulled out her 9mm Glock, and shot at the attacking dogs two or three times. It was later
discovered that she accidentally shot Papa in the process.

The owner of the pit bulls, Ivan Melo, and his family managed to confine the dogs. One of them suffered a bullet wound to the leg.

After the attack, Sloan rushed Papa to Blue Pearl Pet Hospital.

The hospital confirmed to deputies that the dog had two puncture wounds that he believed to be where the bullet entered and exited the body.

Papa also had an internal spinal injury, which veterinarians believed was caused by the attacking canine picking him up in his mouth and shaking him.

There were no other external injuries on Papa other than a red spot near his right elbow.

Sloan opted to have Papa humanely euthanized.

LCSO reviewed security footage from a neighbor’s house, which shows three canines
emerge from their own property into the road and knock Sloan over. In the video, it is unclear
exactly which canine attacked Papa.

Melo told police that none of his dogs touched Sloan’s.

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