Shawnee woman files lawsuit after dog attack, wants city to make changes

SHAWNEE, Kan. — A Shawnee, Kansas woman is filing a lawsuit against her neighbors after their dogs attacked her in March.

Elena Asher says she was going for a run in her neighborhood when she passed by the two dogs and her owners.

“Out of the corner of my eye, I see these large shadows coming at me,” Asher said. “And then they just jumped me. I was down on the ground just screaming for my life.”

Court documents say that the dogs were a five-year-old bullmastiff and a one-year-old pit bull mix and the attack was unprovoked.

While she’s still recovering from her gruesome injuries, she’s been speaking with the City of Shawnee about the city’s ordinances when it comes to pets.

“Everything we have is pretty reactionary I guess, so there’s no real accountability for responsible dog ownership,” Asher said. “Whatever that looks like, if you have to have muzzles for a while, or if you have to have some kind of obedience training until they graduate.”

She presented these suggestions to city council members and other city employees but says that they are not willing to make changes.

“They were options, ideas, that I think would be helpful for everyone to live better including rescue dogs. That has what really disappointed and kind of made me lose faith in my community,” she said.

In a statement to FOX4, the City of Shawnee said the following:

“The City of Shawnee was deeply saddened by the attack Ms. Asher endured. We understand and have listened to her concerns. While no set of regulations can guarantee complete safety, the city maintains robust codes to ensure the well-being of both residents and pets.”

“We have been in contact with Ms. Asher and have carefully considered her suggestions. While we appreciate her input, we believe that changes such as restrictions on specific dog breeds and rescue animals would not have prevented this incident.”

“Our priority remains the safety of our community. A dramatic increase in animal control regulations would have a detrimental impact on the vast majority of responsible animal owners in the community.”

“The bar is not, what is this group doing, or that city or that town, it should be, how can we be better?” Asher said.

She says that the response is saddening and leaves her embarrassed to live in Shawnee.

“Our motto out here is ‘Shawnee, Hometown with Heart’. it’s on the logo, but I’m not feeling that right now.”

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