A North Carolina community is mourning the death of a beloved neighbor who died in a tragic accident. Neighbors say the woman was mauled to death by dogs she was taking care of while their owner was traveling.
Trena Peed’s unfortunate demise on Thursday, July 7, was a shock to the people living in her Greensboro community. The 46-year-old grandmother was dog-sitting two pit bulls, but the animals turned on her when she released the dogs in the backyard of her Vance Street home near downtown Greensboro and South Elm-Eugene Street at 2 a.m.
They both attacked her.
Neighbors told FOX 8 that they heard her cries for help, others said they saw her in the dark of night screaming and struggling to break loose. None of them could assist her fast enough.
Her son, who was inside of her home sleeping during the time of the attack, said he was awakened only to find out that his mother had died from her injuries.
Someone called 911, saying to the dispatcher, “It’s dark. All I hear is her yelling and her dogs over there attacking her.”
“All I know is that they … they done drug her into the dark,” the caller continued.
When police responded, one of the officers shot one of the dogs. The contend shooting the animal was the only way to stop the attack.
A recording from the officers’ traffic radio captured one officer yelling, “Shots fired. I got one dog down, it’s another one out here.”
Greensboro Police and Guilford County Animal Control came to the home and secured the surviving dog, taking it from the home. Currently, it is ossession of animal control and in quarantine.
Many people believe that pit bulls are dangerous animals. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, violence is not innate to the type’s nature. Dogs who act violent have been trained to be violent, the group contends.
“Dogs that are chained outside and isolated from positive human interaction are more likely to bite people than dogs that are integrated into our homes,” a statement on the alleged vicious nature of pit bulls reads.
“Unfortunately, pit bull type dogs that find themselves in these conditions may be at greater risk for developing aggressive behavior,” it continued. “But because these factors are ones that can be controlled by better-educated owners, it is possible to reduce these risks, not just in pit bulls but in dogs of all breeds.”
It is not yet known how these two dogs were trained.
Peed’s longtime friend for more than 15 years said what happened to his neighbor was “terrible.”
Mr. Johnson woefully shared, “It’s terrible. She got mauled to death. That’s terrible.”
Reports state that after the accident, Johnson sat on his friend’s porch in disbelief and with a broken heart.
“We were real good friends. Her and my wife talked together a lot. We were just friends,” he said, then repeating, “It’s terrible.”
Johnson said even if he “didn’t know her at all,” he would believe it was a terrible accident.
A GoFundMe was set up by the woman’s daughter, hoping to defer some of the costs for the upcoming funeral arrangements.
Waynesha Peed said that the family wants to bury her in Virginia, her home state.
She shared in the plea that her mother was “always been a true example of strength, love, and determination” and that her family, including her siblings and grandmother, are “heartbroken” about the sad news of Peed’s passing.
Waynesha reveals her mother was mourning but overcame the recent loss of two of her brothers. The sons both died in car accidents, and their deaths were only a couple of years apart.
“She has endured and overcame so much,” the daughter wrote. “By her faith, she always had a smile on her face that could light up any room, loved to laugh, cook, enjoy life & had a heart of gold.”
In one day, the family has raised more than $11,000 toward the original request of $15,000.
