Girl Killed By Dogs Wanted To Create A Shelter

PINE RIDGE, S.D. (AP) — An 8-year-old girl killed by a pack of dogs on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation wanted to be a veterinarian and dreamed of one day creating a shelter for the dogs that roam the reservation, her parents say.

Jayla Rodriguez was killed Nov. 18 while she was sledding near a housing complex in Pine Ridge. Members of the community held a candlelight vigil Saturday. Wakes were scheduled Monday in Rapid City and Tuesday in Pine Ridge, with her funeral planned for Wednesday.

Jayla's father, Lyle Pilcher, told KOTA-TV that his daughter loved animals and had "every kind of animal that you can think of." She wanted to become a vet, he said.

Her mother, Danielle Griffith, told KEVN-TV that she is starting the Jayla Marie Rodriguez Memorial Fund in honor of her daughter's dream of someday creating an animal shelter.

"I think that is what I need to do — is do something to help the dogs like a memorial fund so that there can be a shelter," Griffith said. "Just more control (of dogs) on the reservation instead of it getting out of hand and it happening to another child."

Oglala Sioux officials have rounded up and killed dozens of stray dogs since Jayla's death. The Tribal Council also decided at a special meeting Saturday to spend $200,000 crafting and enforcing laws to address the problem of roaming dogs. Final approval could come at the council's regular meeting Tuesday, according to the Rapid City Journal.

The money could fund the operation of two kennels that currently are idled, Tribal President Bryan Brewer said.

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