Two pit bulls that got loose Nov. 11 and killed Lancelot, a 12-year-old Labrador in East Lawrence, will be destroyed, a Lawrence city official said Wednesday.

“The owners have signed a consent form to have both dogs euthanized,” said Jerry Little, chief city prosecutor.

Little said the pit bulls, Lucius and Attila, are to be euthanized today at the Lawrence Humane Society’s Ise Memorial Shelter as the result of an agreement with the owners, Claudia Sims and Allen Toshavik Sr., 1534 Cadet Ave.

Sims and Toshavik 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 penalty for the damage to property is $500 and/or up to 10 days in jail, Little said.

Little said Sims and Toshavik were to have their first appearance on the charges Dec. 18 in Lawrence Municipal Court.

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

The dogs got loose from Sims and Toshavik’s home on Cadet Avenue, ran east across Memorial Park Cemetery and jumped a fence into the Goodins’ back yard at 1615 Harper St.

They attacked Lancelot, the family’s protector, who was tied 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.

¢ Incident may push county to ban pit bulls¢ Pit bulls to be euthanized, charges filed against owners (11-20-02)¢ 6News video: Pit bulls will be put to sleep¢ 6News video: Dog attacks bring talk of stricter regulations¢ Ordinance collars 6 dangerous dogs¢ Pit bull attack prompts flood of complaints (11-15-02)¢ 6News video: Family dog killed by pit bulls (11-13-02)¢ Pit bulls attack, kill restrained Labrador (11-13-02)¢ City ordinance on dangerous dogs

Midge Grinstead, executive director of the Lawrence Humane Society, said the pit bulls would be euthanized about 11:30 a.m. today.

“It’s a sad, sad process,” Grinstead said. “We’re in the business of saving their lives rather than putting them to death. So it’s always hard when it’s a perfectly healthy animal.”

Grinstead said euthanizing a dog was done humanely: A staff member holds the animal close, talking to the dog and petting it.

“Then the vet injects a solution into their foreleg. And it takes about a second,” she said. “Then the vet checks them and makes sure they’re dead.”

She said Attila was about 1 1/2 years old and Lucius was about 2 1/2.

She said there was no chance either dog could be adopted because they had attacked another dog.

Grinstead said the incident had led her to believe that Lawrence’s dangerous dog law needed to be strengthened. Animal control officers, she said, need to be able to go onto an owner’s property and pick up aggressive animals.

“There ought to be a way to knock on their door and say ‘Turn it over, or you’re going to jail,'” she said.