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37 thoughts on “2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Public Health Employee Killed by Pack of Dogs in Alabama; Second Attack by Same Dog Pack

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  1. Don’t animal control officers carry guns? I am wondering whether this investigator carried a gun.

    It sounds like she made it back to her car but perhaps she never was able to actually leave the car given the pack was so large.

    • She was with the Health Dept. it says. But still, you are going out to investigate a pack of (obvious) pitbulls and you have no backup or a way to defend yourself?

    • I know very few animal control officers that are armed with lethal force. Most municipalities do not issue stun guns or mace either. Too worried that the public might complain. When I was on the road, I was issued a radio, catch pole, and cell phone. So glad that is no longer my primary job. At least in a shelter environment there are back up personal, if you get on the wrong side of a fence,with the wrong dog.

  2. Dog owners continue to raise their status and virtue signal over the decades with this trend starting in the late 80s-early 90s. They went from dog owners to calling themselves dog parents and dog rescuers. Now dog advocate? Is this supposed to be another term for the so called rescuers.

    Concerning this case, I am hoping strict laws and the fact that one of the victims was a government employee on duty and directly related to the dogs will result in real consequences. Clearly brandy did not deem another woman’s hospital action serious to change her ways.

    • I’m with you on this language nonsense, Christy.

      If this person was a “dog advocate” she wouldn’t own 27 dogs. She’d be in court and in public media advocating for all those dogs pitbulls are killing. She wouldn’t have time to care for 27 dogs because she’d be up to her eyeballs in court documents.

      Advocates advocate for victims not perpetrators. Somehow I doubt this was a pack of battered beagles.

      Someone who “owns” a dog is responsible for it and its care and behaviour while under their care. If they sell it, or give it away, they are responsible if it’s damaged or dangerous.

      “Parents” are not permanently responsible for the actions of their children and “rescuers” aren’t permanently responsible for those they rescue.

      Sellers *are* responsible for selling defective merchandise to an unsuspecting public.

      This language is deliberately designed to abrogate responsibility and liability.

      A woman was *murdered* doing her job investigating dogs that had already committed criminal assault. If this was a cop, there’d be zero public sympathy on the side of the offenders.

      Clear language, matters.

  3. I know it’s not the first time the same pack is suspected of killing multiple people, but is this the first time they killed an official investigating a prior death?

    I can’t believe we’re at this point. Dogs did not do this even 20 years ago. We went from dogs killing adults being worthy of GMA coverage to it being a local news item only.

  4. This is why dog social workers need to go away and we must go back to dog police. Weaponized killer dogs are more popular than ever yet cities and counties are sending animal control officers out to follow up on serious attacks with a clip board.

    Quite likely the purpose of the follow up wasn’t to prosecute the owner and seize the dogs (notice they say she was in a car, not a truck fit for impounding dogs). More likely she was there to make sure the precious dogs were not being mistreated. Lip service might have been paid to keeping them penned up. After all the poor widdle pupper woofles could have gotten hit by a car.

    If the woman that was killed was out there to prosecute and size dogs, then we lost a good ACO. So many are in the Mark Kumpf mold that look for any excuse to not do their jobs and then brag about all the money they are saving buy not impounding dogs. Then they turn around and store pits that no one wants for years.

    This woman’s family needs to sue the agency that sent her to the scene of a previous pack mauling with no way to defend herself. If they won’t arm the ACOs they should demand police escort when following up on a mauling.

  5. I hate that damn breed- I’ve worked in an emergency room for several decades, where dog bites are a not uncommon occurrence.
    With the exception of a Rottweiler over 20 years ago, all of the deaths and severe disfigurements are from pit bulls.
    I also own a rural home, with a neighbor (about a quarter mile down the road) who has a pit bull that occasionally gets off the leash. It seems to be a good-natured dog (seemingly like they all are up to the minute they viciously attack), but whenever I see it on my property, I load the 12 guage.

    • A loose dog on your rural property is most likely considered a nuisance animal in your state ( check state and local laws). You should be able to shoot said pit bull without legal problems. If the owner is letting it run loose even occasionally the destruction of the dog would be considered his or her fault. If the laws are against you in your state, remember the “Three S’’s”, Shoot, Shovel and Shut up.

  6. These pack-of-dogs maulings surely should alert the CDC that our nation’s public health is in jeopardy. Access to The Great Outdoors has been getting blocked further each year. We should be able to go out for a walk without fear. Doctors generally prescribe getting more exercise.

    Attacks by one pitbull are bad enough. What does it take to shake the CDC from its complacency in not reporting on this public health issue for over 20 years now?

  7. There is no sane reason anyone should be able to have so many dogs on their property. Why is this legal? At some point there needs to be a limit. Especially if the owner knows the beasts are aggressive.

  8. The Lady who was attacked on Thursday, Michele Dill Sheeks, is my sister. She is lucky to be alive. She is still fighting for her life. She may have to have amputations. The Alabama Law on Leashes needs to improve so this doesn’t happen again!

    • Sherry, I have been praying daily for your sister and her anguished husband Leebo by name since Colleen posted Leebo’s social media’s request for prayer. I am sure others here are doing the same. May the Lord comfort you all at this time as Michelle gathers strength.

    • Sherry:

      Hoping for the best for your sister. My best to you all.

      Nobody should be in fear for their life just to do their job. I’m going to assume she took this job because she liked animals.

      Leash laws and BSL (where it applies) are only as powerful as the policy and willingness to enforce them. Sadly, your sister was attempting to rectify such a situation when she was mauled. Had these dogs been apprehended and BE’ed after the first attack, the attack on your sister would not have happened.

      Please keep us posted on your sister’s health.

  9. So much pain has been caused by one women’s “dog advocacy.” Pain inflicted on others who have never agreed to support or participate in her “advocacy.”

  10. Thanks for this update, Colleen.

    Re this pack’s Victim #2, Michele Sheeks, the visual image in my mind of a full-grown adult being dragged by pitbulls from the attack site is so repulsive. We have read this a number of times before, including children being dragged elsewhere.

    Maulings are not accidents. Owners should always be charged. The law should make them accept full responsibility.

  11. Apologies….Michele Sheeks is Victim #1.

    Today’s update on Victim #2 gives the location of Jacqueline Summer Beard’s death by the ravaging pitbull pack. We remember Ms. Beard’s service to her community and our country.

  12. “She was on the property of the people where the dogs belonged to,” Sheriff Oliver said. “We’re not able to confirm if they heard anything, the people at the house, or if they were even there [at the time],” Oliver said”

    Sounds like some real nice people living in that house.

  13. What stood out to me. When they showed up the day of the first attack, they were petting the pit bulls because they were so sweet. So I guess that made it easy for them to just ignore that they had just savaged a women? That is exactly what I get when the pit have ran at me, head down, snarling and even when I say they have grabbed my jeans and only retreated when my husband grabbed his boat paddle and was swinging it. I have had video of them raging at me when they are loose and I am behind my fence that I managed to slam shut just in time and the animal control officer comes out and tells me that she petted it and it is sweet. They are as much responsible for the death of the lady the next day as the owner. I am sorry but you can’t be in that business and unaware of the dangers of the pit bulls these days. They can be friendly, then kill, then turn off until next time

    • Apparently it is OK for dogs to injure people to the point they need a Life Flight as long as the dogs will accept pets from animal control. Absolutely enraging. If they had seized the dogs the day of the first attack their coworker would still be alive.

      Speaking of enraging, I was right she wasn’t there to seize the dogs or write tickets. . “She went there to talk to the owners about putting the dogs up because they didn’t have their shots or signing them over to be euthanized,” Sheriff Oliver said.

      So if your unvaccinated dogs roam free and nearly kill someone AC will come “talk to you about putting them up”. Break the the law and then be begged to comply with the law as a punishment.

  14. “After Sheeks was attacked by the dogs on April 28, Sheriff Oliver told The Red Bay News that when deputies and animal control went to the scene afterward, “the dogs that were there were friendly, and they petted them. There wasn’t any problem.” No information was provided about why the dogs remained on Dowdy’s property after the first attack or what officials communicated to Dowdy, who not only possessed a pack of vicious dogs, but was potentially animal hoarding.”

    Sounds like the Sheriff and deputies should be charged with manslaughter too.

  15. “They are the most loving babies!!!”

    That breed displays just as much “love” while it fatally tears and shakes an actual human baby as it does when it gives one “doggie kisses”.

  16. The “I petted them so they must not be dangerous” is the biggest load of hokum ever conceived.

    Even dogs who only snarl, yip, bark or nip don’t do it to *everyone*.

    I’ve seen dogs that only bite one gender. I’ve seen dogs that only bite or attack those that are weaker/stronger. I’ve trained a dog that “Oh, he only bites my husband” (until it bit me–it actually bit anyone who didn’t kowtow to its whims)–fortunately it was too small to be a real threat.

    Watch at a dog park. There are often dogs that only bully smaller/elderly/disabled dogs and certain dogs that will only challenge tougher dogs.

    Lots of biting dogs won’t bite the dog trainer. That doesn’t make them *not* dangerous.

    “It didn’t bite ME” doesn’t make a dog safe to be in society.

    Stupidest statement I’ve ever heard.

  17. Wesley Sheeks and Sherry Locklear, my sincere condolences on the loss of your loved one, Michelle. I have been praying for her. Now she is out of pain. May the Lord continue to comfort you with your memories of happy times with Michelle.

  18. I am so sorry. Brandy destroyed lives. I don’t want her to be let off the hook for this, as so many owners of dangerous dogs are.

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