Robert Stevens, 62, died after being attacked by a family dog in Castaic, California.
Breed Information Released
UPDATE 08/09/22: On Monday, officials with Los Angeles Animal Care and Control released the dog breed information after the fatal attack. Despite information from dispatch audio files stating the dog is a pit bull, Don Belton, a spokesperson for Animal Care and Control, said the dog is a "rottweiler mastiff." It is unclear who made the 911 call, but this was a family dog attack inside the owner's home. Thus, someone in the home made the 911 call and incorrectly identified the breed?
Also, a rottweiler is already a mastiff-type -- it's one of the many molosser breeds that includes all mastiffs and bully breeds. So, labeling this dog a "rottweiler mastiff" is akin to labeling a Labrador retriever, a "Labrador retriever-retriever mix" or a bullmastiff, a "bullmastiff-mastiff mix." It's redundant for unknown reasons, unless the coat color deviates so significantly from a rottweiler's black with rich tan markings in certain areas, that this dog lacks any clear rottweiler appearance.
Finally, the canine is also being described as a "rescued" cane corso, which in southern California indicates a mastiff-mix of many possible varieties, not an Italian cane corso. "It was an unprovoked attack on one of the owners," said Detective Scott Matlock, an investigator with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau. "There was a married couple and they actually rescued the dog five years ago," he said. The investigation is being treated as an "accidental death," Matlock said.
08/07/22: Owner-Directed Fatal Attack
Castaic, CA - On Friday, a 62-year old man was attacked and killed by a family dog in Castaic, Sgt. Clark, of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, said. Castaic is an unincorporated community in northwest Los Angeles County. Around 4:10 pm, first responders received reports of a dog attack in progress in the 31000 block of Gelding Road. The man was identified as Robert Stevens, 62, of Castaic, according to officials with the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.
“The family dog attacked a male in his house. He did not survive from his wounds.” - Sgt. Clark, Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station
Audio dispatch log files from the Los Angeles County Sheriff, Fire and Aircraft - Santa Clarita Valley channel on Broadcastify.com report the attacking dog was a pit bull. "Bit by a pit bull. Unknown status. Fire and animal control is en route," states the dispatcher at 9:00 minutes. "We're on scene … states that her husband is currently being attacked by the dog right now in the house. Can you let sheriff know? Possibly a pit bull," states a responder at about 14 minutes.
Around 16 minutes, the dispatcher repeats the call information. 31000 block of "Gelding Road, cross of Royal in Castaic. Male 60. Bit by pit bull. Unknown status. Fire, animal control en route for Fire. [Male] is currently being attacked by this pit bull … Additional responders over to Gelding and Royal," she states. At 25 minutes, a responder replies, "Dog is contained in the backyard right now." No breed information was released by the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
A report from The Signal states this was an owner-directed fatal attack. Lt. Dan Wolanski, watch commander for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, confirmed the dog killed its owner.
The fatal dog attack occurred Friday in the 31000 block of Gelding Road in Castaic, California.
View the DogsBite.org Google Map: California Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.Related articles:
12/30/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: 26-Year Old Woman Killed by Dogs in Her East Valinda...
Law enforcement departments across the United States should release consistent "baseline" information to the media and the public after each fatal dog mauling, including these items.
I went to a house today looking for something advertised on craigslist. I was told I could not enter the house due to pitbulls inside. Some folks are responsible.
Whew! You have more courage than I have. I told friends this week I wasn’t going to view OfferUp to find a secondhand item. Too dangerous.
At least it was the adult owner and not a child or neighbor.
I know this is wrong to said but I don’t care I get a happy feeling that the owner died instead a innocent baby or a bystander. I wonder what was he thinking about getting a vicious dog breed like a pitbull instead of getting basset hound .now his preference got him killed sad that he died but I don’t have any empathy for Robert Stevens.
In a world of pitbull lovers, many people believe that pitbulls are safe pets. I will never be happy to see any people or animals
mauled and/or killed by these animals.
In this case, maybe the dog belonged to a son or daughter. There is so much we don’t know. However, being tortured to death by a dog will never be acceptable.
The man killed by this pitbull truly didn’t believe the dog could kill him. He was guilty of ignorance.
I agree with you, Madeleine. This is yet another case of winning stupid prizes after playing stupid games.
People, if you really want dogs, and note that I used the word “want” because no one needs a dog, purchase one that isn’t likely to kill you.
People don’t research breeds of dogs before getting dogs.
They generally choose dogs by size, coat type, and what looks cute to them. They don’t ask vets for their opinions. They don’t know anything about training.
Consider the woman with an eight month old female Pomeranian with a dirty butt.
Having cleaned up the mess, the owner called the clinic asking what the hole was at the top where the two legs meet. When pet owners are that dumb, what do you expect?
One owner chose a vicious eight week old Cairn terrier for a pet. The dog couldn’t be treated for a seizure disorder because he was vicious. I told the owners to never take home any vicious puppy. They had thought this Cairn terrier’s attitude was cute when they bought him.
Another man, a double amputee with PTSD, chose a Siberian husky for a Service Dog. How could he catch an escape artist with two above knee amputations?
People choose their dogs for dumb reasons. When people are killed in their homes by their dogs, they were stupid for having the dog. They deserve our compassion. .
The wife should be thanking her lucky stars it isn’t her body in the morgue. Usually these dogs choose to victimize women, children, and the elderly.
I wonder what kind of condition this 62-year-old man was in. 62 is not elderly by any means but a person could be infirm at a younger age.
I’d love to see pictures of the dog. Many folks have a basic idea as to what they believe a certain dog should look like.
One individual thought a purebred GSD was a mixed breed because his tail was not ringed on the end. Yet that is a fault.
Besides, pitbulls come in every color but merle. Pitbulls with cropped ears look different than those with uncropped ears.
How about the level of education of these folks? If one is promoting pit bulls, that would be a good reason for not calling a pitbull a killer.
I don’t really understand why they would be so concerned and hostile about its breed! Dog just killed their family so why care about the breed instead of the guy who was bitten to death by a vicious dog no matter what its lineage! Unless of course it’s not family and just a pit nutter troll pretending to be family!
Friends and family with a preposterous need to set the record straight?
That should explain the inaction of the police: sensing instant closure and obligingly wrapping the investigation of this “accident” up.
20 seconds of wash, dry hands with the death certificate, sign it and toss it into the trash bin, move on to drop the next basket of fries into the fryolator.