A South Carolina woman, who tragically lost both her arms in a brutal dog attack, has initiated legal proceedings against Abbeville Animal Services. The woman alleges that the agency failed to take necessary action to safeguard the public from the dangerous dogs involved in the incident.
On the morning of March 21, 2022, Kyleen Waltman was strolling along a road in Honea Path when she was suddenly set upon by three dogs. A passerby, who was driving his tractor, witnessed the horrifying scene and immediately alerted the authorities. When first responders arrived, they discovered Waltman in a muddy ditch, severely injured.
The lawsuit details the extent of Waltman’s injuries, noting that she had sustained significant lacerations to the left side of her neck and her right arm was severely damaged. Following the incident, Waltman was airlifted to a hospital in Greenville, where she underwent a double arm amputation. She remained in the hospital for seven weeks, during which a GoFundMe campaign raised over $360,000 to assist with her medical costs.
The lawsuit accuses Abbeville Animal Services of negligence, alleging that the agency was aware of the dogs’ aggressive behavior but failed to take appropriate action. According to the lawsuit, the agency had received two prior complaints about the dogs. In one instance, a neighbor reported the dogs trespassing in his yard, and in another, a man was bitten by the dogs on Christmas Day 2021. Despite these reports, the agency allegedly did not conduct thorough investigations or follow-ups.
The lawsuit further asserts that Abbeville Animal Services did not adhere to its own policies and procedures by neglecting to investigate these prior incidents. The plaintiff’s legal team argues that if the agency had properly addressed the previous complaints, Waltman’s attack could have been prevented.
Following the attack, Abbeville County sheriff’s deputies arrested the dogs’ owner, Justin Minor, on misdemeanor charges related to owning dangerous animals. Waltman’s attorneys, Tombo Hite and T. Matthew Bradley, have expressed their commitment to advocating for their client and preventing similar incidents in the future.