Pit bulls to be euthanized, charges filed against owners

Two pit bulls who got loose on Nov. 11 and killed Lancelot, a 12-year-old Labrador in east Lawrence, will be destroyed this week, a Lawrence city official said Wednesday.

âÂÂThe owners have signed a consent form to have both dogs euthanized,â said Jerry Little, chief city prosecutor.

Little said the two pit bulls, Lucius and Attila, are to be euthanized Thursday at the Lawrence Humane SocietyâÂÂs Ise Memorial Shelter as the result of an agreement with the owners, Claudia Sims and Alan Toshavick Sr., 1534 Cadet.

Sims and Toshavick each have been charged with three misdemeanors in connection with the dog-mauling incident.

They each have been charged with two counts of allowing a dog at large and one count of damage to property. The maximum fine for the dog-at-large charge for each animal is a fine of up to $100.

The maximum fine for the damage to property charge is $500 and/or up to 10 days in jail, Little said.

Little said Sims and Toshavick are scheduled to have their first appearance Dec. 18 on the charges in Lawrence Municipal Court.

Their two pit bulls were picked up by Lawrence Police animal control officers on Nov. 11 after they mauled Lancelot, the longtime pet of Rebecca Goodin and her four children.

The pit bulls got loose from Sims and ToshavickâÂÂs home on Cadet Avenue, ran east across Memorial Park Cemetery and jumped over the fence into the Goodinsâ back yard at 1615 Harper St.

They attacked Lancelot, the familyâÂÂs protector, who was tied up to his dog house. Neighbors chased Lucius and Attila away, but not before Lancelot suffered fatal injuries. The older dog died in a veterinary hospital three hours later.


For more on this story, read see the 6News report at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Sunflower BroadbandâÂÂs cable Channel 6 and pick up a copy of ThursdayâÂÂs Journal-World.