DeKalb police say 23-year-old Rebecca Carey was killed by her dogs.DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -
Authorities in DeKalb County say a woman was mauled to death by her dogs on Sunday.
DeKalb police say 23-year-old Rebecca Carey was discovered in a home on Midway Road after they learned she did not show up for work. They say her employer called a family member who then went to check on her.
Police said Carey kept five dogs in her home – two Presa Canarios, two American terrier mixes and a boxer mix. At some point, one or more of the dogs attacked Carey. Her official cause of death was sharp lacerations to her neck and upper torso.
The five dogs involved in the attack were taken in by DeKalb's Animal Control and later euthanized, according to police.
Sgt. Kim Medlin of the DeKalb County Animal Control said it was the first fatal dog attack case he'd seen.
Friends and family said that the woman had devoted her life to rescuing dogs. Neighbors said they were stunned to hear of her death.
"They never show any type of aggression. Even if one got loose, you could tell them to go back to their yard, they would go back," said Monica Cofer.
Carey worked at the Loving Hands animal clinic in Alpharetta. Carey's boss said that she had been rescuing dogs since she was 13 years old.
