Father of child killed by pit bulls talks

By Christian Jennings - bio | email

January 15, 2009

THOMASVILLE, GA (WALB) - A heartbroken father in Thomasville whose little girl was mauled by pitbulls says he doesn't want anyone else to go through what he's gone through. He says big changes need to come to Thomas County.

He wants strict laws in place for people who own dangerous dogs like pit bulls and consequences for owners whose vicious dogs attack.

David Peppers' eyes said it all when he sat down with me Thursday at Remington Park in Thomasville. A place where his 5-year-old daughter Cheyenne won't get the chance to swing on a swing, or slide down a slide ever again.

"We've lost a child that was dear to us in this community. I've seen the outpouring at the funeral. I don't want to go to another funeral. It's gotta end," said David Peppers.

His sadness over his child's death was over-powered today with passion to seek change, and prevent someone else from going through the pain he's having to endure everyday.

"It needs to be changed. There's too many kids dying," said Peppers.

The change he's talking about is a dangerous dog ordinance he and several other Thomas Countians want commissioners to enforce.

"We've got to have an ordinance to where those dogs are registered at vets, a spay and neuter type thing needs to happen. These dogs need to be checked on a regular basis. How they're pinned, how they're tethered up," said Peppers.

David Peppers and his wife are divorced. His little girl lived with her mother and stepfather in Thomasville and it was at their home where three pit bulls killed Cheyenne in their backyard.

David says if changes aren't made someone else is next.

"People are going to have to wake up on this. Ya'll want to sit around and say oh it's not going to happen. I probably said that. But now it did happen to me, and it's going to happen again," said Peppers.

David didn't want his daughter's picture on TV but when he showed me her school photo, he described his light eyed-blonde haired angel as "the prettiest little thing you'll ever see".

"I can't open up the newspaper and buy another Cheyenne. Because they just don't sell em, you know?" said her father.

And even though David can never replace his loss, he hopes his passion for change will save someone else from a similar tragedy.

Cheyenne Peppers was a student at Hand in Hand Primary School In Thomasville.  Feedback