Blood in the Motel 6 Parking Lot as OKC Couple Mauled by Rampaging Pit Bulls

A terrifying attack in the parking lot of a Motel 6 near Interstate 40 and Meridian Avenue in Oklahoma City left a local couple bloodied, shaken and now facing a long recovery after multiple pit bulls tore into them outside their room.

According to the couple, the chaos started when several pit bulls suddenly bolted out of a camper parked in the motel lot and latched onto them. The victims, identified as Sarah Schaffner and Steven Daykin, say they were bitten repeatedly before police arrived and shot one of the dogs to stop the attack.

Schaffner suffered the worst of the injuries, with severe bite wounds that required 21 stitches to her arm and face. Medical staff in the trauma unit at OU told KFOR her bite was “the worst they’d seen in a long time.” Both Schaffner and Daykin were treated and later released, and they told reporters they are simply grateful to be alive.

Daykin says he was attacked by multiple dogs at once. In the middle of the frenzy, their young son jumped off the camper and threw a frying pan, an act the family believes helped break up the mauling and keep the situation from getting even worse. The couple is now back home recovering and staring down significant medical bills.

Police Response and Animal Welfare Actions

Officers at the scene shot and killed one of the pit bulls while trying to stop the attack. Oklahoma City animal welfare officials later quarantined the remaining dogs for evaluation.

According to KFOR, Oklahoma City Animal Welfare officers have charged the animals’ owners in connection with the incident.

Broader Context and Safety Takeaways

The mauling joins a string of serious dog attacks that have rattled communities across Oklahoma in recent years, including cases that left victims critically injured and raised legal and public safety concerns.

Nationally, high-profile maulings have intensified calls for tighter dog control and stronger owner accountability, as Newsweek has documented.

From their home, Schaffner and Daykin are urging dog owners to keep their animals properly secured and warning neighbors to stay alert. Police and animal welfare officials are continuing their investigation, and authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them.