Posted on May 28, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

Conflict of Interest: San Francisco Animal Control and Virginia Donohue -- Final Installment in Documentary Series

San Francisco, CA - This is the third and final installment in a series of videos about the Department of Animal Care and Control in San Francisco by Black Summers Productions, LLC. This segment is 34 minutes long and focuses on the shameless conflict of interest of Virginia Donohue in serving as the Executive Director of San Francisco Animal Care and Control (SFACC) while co-owning a private, for-profit animal boarding and dog training facility in the city, Pet Camp.

In the second installment, we saw a vicious attack at a dog training facility. The third installment expands upon this attack captured on surveillance video at Dan Perata Training, a competitor to Donohue's Pet Camp. Perata and his wife are interviewed about the incident and how SFACC -- which otherwise refuses to investigate attacks in "private facilities" at Donohue's request -- tries to railroad Dan Perata Training with false testimony at the Vicious and Dangerous Dog hearing.

Video: View the full, unedited interview of Dan Perata and his wife Natasha Koral.

SFACC requested the Vicious and Dangerous Dog hearing on behalf of "Tank," the attacker in the surveillance video, claiming the dog was the victim of a "fairly aggressive method of training," that he was "on the edge of his coping skills" and was "being assaulted and finally snapped." Sgt. Ellie Sadler of SFACC gave this testimony prior to seeing the video. As Perata states, Sadler "got up there and lied ... flat out made shit up." At that time, Sadler did not know there was a video.

Hearing officer John Denny, who is now retired, presided over the Vicious and Dangerous Dog hearing involving "Tank" in March 2016. Denny is also interviewed in the final installment. One sees Denny noting the unusual situation during the hearing, trying to confirm with SFACC, "Your contention is that Tank was provoked into his reaction that started the bite. Your reason for requesting the hearing then is to clear Tank? Do you see the point I am trying to make?"

Video: View the full, unedited interview of retired hearing officer John Denny.

After the video is played during the hearing -- Denny recalls his reaction as "his jaw hanging down" -- he asks Sgt. Sadler, "Now that you have seen this video, what are your thoughts?" She replied in part, "My concern -- and I know you don't want to talk about the training stuff -- is that with this kind of training it's not going to resolve. And he's going to keep being forced into feeling terror and reacting to that." Sadler also stated she still believed Tank was provoked to this behavior.

"Animal Control handles cruelty complaints," Denny states during the interview. "Why are we here? Why did you drag everybody involved, the owners of a competitor to Pet Camp, the dog trainer and the dog owner. Everybody's here because you don't like their training facilities?" Denny asks. "It almost seemed like Mrs. Donohue sent her people out -- made an exception for a standing rule [Donohue's refusal to investigate bites at training and grooming facilities] just to harass one of her competitors." - Retired hearing officer John Denny

The third installment then looks at Donohue, who was appointed in 2015 by and answerable only to the unelected City Administrator, Naomi Kelly. At the time of being appointed to lead SFACC, Donohue was the co-owner of Pet Camp (with her husband) and continues to be. Pet Camp has been featured on SFACC's government website, there is a Pet Camp "stipend" and sponsorship arrangement, and Pet Camp "50% off" flyers are placed into SFACC's animal adoption packets.

Ethics complaints came next, but to no avail. Dan Perata Training filed a complaint with his Board of Supervisors and the Ethics Commission. Denny filed a complaint with the Whistleblower Program and Ethics Commission. "If you blow the whistle on somebody who is liked downtown, they can fix it," Denny states in the interview. Denny then made a complaint to the Civil Grand Jury. "Very disappointing," he reflected. "It's just a coin toss," if you get a good grand jury or not.

Denny was forced out of his position as an independent hearing officer for the Vicious and Dangerous dog hearings at the end of 2017.1

The last portion deals with the new SFACC facility, which grew to a price tag of over $100 million dollars. The new facility is a historic building that requires retrofitting and has less kennel space for dogs and cats (84 dogs, 138 cats) than the current SFACC facility (107 dogs, 151 cats). The documentary refers to it's planning as a "game of capital planning musical chairs." When Donohue was hired, the projected cost was $26.5 million. Today, it is four times that amount with interest.

This documentary series began by examining the dereliction of duty at SFACC. Their findings include that SFACC does not keep track of and monitor officially dangerous dogs, SFACC has corrupted the hearing process for dogs accused of being dangerous, SFACC refuses to investigate "bites and attacks" at training and grooming facilities (unless it is owned by a Pet Camp competitor) and SFACC management has no public safety or law enforcement expertise.

The final installment, however, speaks to a much larger breach of trust. By the City continuing to entrust the shelter planning to Donohue, the City has betrayed public trust. Officials are supposed to make decisions based on what is good for the city as a whole -- not personal interests. By city officials ignoring Donohue's conflict of interest and opportunity for constant self-dealing, they have "rejected simple fairness," states the documentary, worsening this breach of public trust.

Conflict of interest San Francisco Animal Control Virginia Donohue

The owners of Dan Perata Training (top left), now retired hearing officer John Denny (right) and Pet Camp, a for-profit pet boarding and dog training facility co-owned by Virginia Donohue.

Vicious and Dangerous Dog Hearing for "Tank"

The March 10, 2016 Vicious and Dangerous dog hearing for "Tank" is an hour and 15 minutes long and exists only in audio format. We transcribed a significant portion to highlight the blatant false testimony by Sgt. Ellie Sadler of SFACC, the complainant in the case, in order to harass Dan Perata Training, a competitor to Donohue's Pet Camp training facility. Sadler testifies that Tank was "being abused" and was forced to "respond (attack the trainer) through primal urges."

Read: View the 6-page partial transcript | YouTube: Listen to the full audio of hearing

The obvious problem with Sadler's unfounded testimony is that Tank's attack was captured on surveillance video, which was closely examined during the hearing. After 57 minutes of testimony by the dog's owner, the attack victim, and the owner of Perata Training, Denny asks Sadler again, "Now that you have seen the video, what are your thoughts?" Sadler persists, "the dog was forced into that kind of reaction" and that "with this kind of training it’s not going to resolve."

Denny ignores this absurdity. His role is to determine what to do with Tank, a dog with serious aggression issues that its owner cannot control. Despite Tank's owner stating many times the attack was an "isolated incident," Denny orders Tank to be leashed and muzzled when in public and for the owner to continue her training at Perata Training. In his closing statement, Denny also reminds the owner, "he's got a rap sheet as a biting dog" and "sometimes dogs can't be saved."

"Listen, I’m going to end this not on a sour note. Sometimes dogs can’t be saved. How far are you willing to go? How far are you willing to risk? No one would -- These are decisions that you have to make. But sometimes there is a time that you have to make a real tough decision. All right? And you’ll know it. It doesn’t have to be another bite. But if there’s just no way for you to get Tank under control by yourself then you are going to have to make a decision." - Veteran hearing officer John Denny

Finally, the blacklisting of Dan Perata Training (who uses praise and energy-based training) has been going on for at least three years. In the interview with Dan and Natasha, shot in February 2019, both are still outraged by SFACC's actions. Their complaints to a Board of Supervisors and the Ethics Commission went nowhere. SFACC continues to blacklist them by no longer releasing high-risk dogs to them -- cases that will likely end in euthanasia without specialized training.2

Conflict of interest San Francisco Animal Control Ellie Sadler

Sgt. Ellie Sadler of San Francisco Animal Care and Control at Tank's hearing in March 2016.

Three Documentary Installments

August 5, 2018
Part 1: San Francisco Animal Control Calls Police to Deal with Off-Leash Dog

This is the first installment of a series about the dereliction of duty at San Francisco Animal Care and Control by Black Summers Productions, LLC. The segment is just over 7 minutes long and highlights how SFACC fails in their duty to prevent dog attacks by rejecting the enforcement of leash laws. One sees this clearly when SFACC executive officials "abandon the scene" of a stubborn pit bull owner. SFACC also relies on "police" to enforce leash laws in their own lobby.

Related content:
Civil Grand Jury Report, City and County of San Francisco. Our Lovable Pets, Dogs and Public Safety in San Francisco.

November 18, 2018
Part 2: San Francisco - Vicious and Dangerous Dogs Unleashed

The second installment focuses on the failure of San Francisco Animal Care and Control to properly manage the risks posed by vicious and dangerous dogs in the city. The segment is 44 minutes long. Findings by the documentary include: SFACC does not keep track of and monitor officially dangerous dogs; SFACC has corrupted the hearing process for dogs accused of being dangerous; and current SFACC management has no public safety or law enforcement expertise.

Related content:
Presentation by Veteran Vicious and Dangerous Dog Hearing Officer John Denny

May 13, 2019
Part 3: Conflict of Interest - San Francisco Animal Care and Control & Virginia Donohue

The final installment focuses on the shameless conflict of interest of Executive Director of San Francisco Animal Care and Control, Virginia Donohue, while co-owning a private, for-profit animal boarding and dog training facility in the city, Pet Camp. The segment is 34 minutes long and zeros in on an attack at Dan Perata Training -- one of Pet Camp's competitors -- and how SFACC tries to railroad the competitor with blatant false testimony at the Vicious and Dangerous Dog hearing.

Related content:
The Complete, Unedited Interview with Dan Perata and Natasha Koral
The Complete, Unedited Interview with John Denny
Listen to Audio of Complete Vicious and Dangerous Dog Hearing of "Tank"

Virginia Donohue seen "breaking the ground" on May 15, 2019 for the new location of SFACC.

1Denny was replaced by Jeff Foster, a "dog lover" and pit bull owner. Foster's stint as a dog court hearing officer did not last long. Foster was eventually removed after making a prejudicial remark to a dog attack victim. This is a MUST WATCH as Stephanie Hung confronts him in the hearing room about a month after his awful remark.
2Perata and Koral explain this during their interview starting at 37:06. Also, they tell a stunning story of an extremely dangerous protection bred dog that SFACC years ago referred to Perata at 42:35 -- that dog could not be saved.

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2018 U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Statistics - DogsBite.org

Fatal Dog Attack Statistics
DogsBite.org recorded 36 fatal dog attacks in 2018. Pit bulls contributed to 72% (26) of these deaths -- over 8 times more than the next closest breed, "mixed-breed," with 3 deaths. Nine different dog breeds contributed to lethal attacks in 2018. Two deaths were unreported, but were captured through our records requests. The last time the CDC collected "breed" data about dogs involved in fatal human attacks was 1998. Pit bulls have killed over 370 Americans since.

36 U.S. dog bite-related fatalities occurred in 2018. Despite being regulated in Military Housing areas and over 900 U.S. cities, pit bulls contributed to 72% (26) of these deaths. Pit bulls make up about 7% of the total U.S. dog population.
During the 14-year period of 2005 to 2018, canines killed 471 Americans. Two dog breeds, pit bulls (311) and rottweilers (47), contributed to 76% (358) of these deaths. 33 different dog breeds contributed to the remaining fatal dog maulings.
In the year of 2018, the combination of pit bulls (26), rottweilers (2) and mastiff-type guard dogs and war dogs (4) -- the types used to create "baiting" bull breeds and fighting breeds -- accounted for 89% (32) of all dog bite-related fatalities.
See full report: 2018 U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Statistics - DogsBite.org
News release: Nonprofit Releases 2018 Dog Bite Fatality Statistics and Trends from the 14-Year Data Set (2005 to 2018)

This year's release includes statistics from our 14-year data set. From Jan. 1, 2005 to Dec. 31, 2018, canines killed 471 Americans. Pit bulls contributed to 66% (311) of these deaths. Combined, pit bulls (311) and rottweilers (47) contributed to 76% (358) of attacks resulting in death. When mastiff-type guard dogs and war dogs are added -- the types used to create "baiting" bull breeds and fighting breeds -- this small group of dog breeds accounts for 84% (397) of all dog bite-related deaths. In discussion notes, we examine 2018 trends, the rise of adult and female victims since 2005 and the escalation of pit bull-inflicted deaths since 2013.

Data Collection Method: How We Collect U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Data

Discussion Notes

DogsBite.org - From June 2018 to March 2019, our nonprofit sent out public records requests to 14 different jurisdictions regarding fatal dog maulings in 2018. In these filings, we uncovered two unreported fatal dog maulings, one in Nevada and California. Both fatal dog attacks were perpetrated by family pit bulls. These filings are also the primary reason why our annual and combined year statistics were not released in late February, our usual publishing timeframe.

In 2018, there was a surge in female victims, a surge in rescued or rehomed dogs killing a person, a surge in owner-directed fatal attacks (when a dog kills its owner), and the continued trend of adult deaths surpassing child deaths. Since 2016, we have been reporting on the rise of adult victims. In 2018, persons (≥ 10 years) comprised 58% of deaths. This is over a 90% increase from the early CDC study period (1979-1988) when only 30% of fatality victims were ≥ 10 years.1

This year, when examining 14 years of fatal dog attack statistics, we review a table and chart. The table is divided into 3 periods that examines multiple trends and the percent change between the 1st and 3rd periods. The dual pie chart shows the increasing domination of pit bulls in fatal dog attacks, accounting for 73% of deaths from 2013 to 2018, and indicates that only two categories may be relevant in fatal dog attack statistics in the future: pit bulls vs. all other dog breeds.

Surge in Female Victims Metric Shift

2018 marks the highest death count on record for female victims of fatal dog maulings. 78% (28) of all fatality victims were female. The breakdown is as follows, with males historically dominating child deaths (≤ 9 years): 0-9 years, 80% female (12 of 15) deaths; 19-49 years, 83% female (5 of 6) deaths; and 50-70+ years, 73% female (11 of 15) deaths. Of the 10 owner-directed fatal attacks in 2018, females comprised 80% of these victims, whose ages spanned from 28 to 64 years.

Of the 16 adult females killed by dogs last year, 31% (5) involved a husband returning home to find his wife dead or nearly dead due to a vicious family dog attack. In 2 cases, Kentucky and Texas, the dog had previously attacked the female. The Kentucky case resulted in the husband being charged with wanton endangerment in the second degree, but a grand jury later dismissed the charge. 75% (12) of the attacks involved pit bulls, 19% (3) mastiff-types and 1 rottweiler.

The rise in female fatalities is also reflected in the multi-year trend table: Trends: 14 Years of U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities in 3 Periods (2005 to 2018). The chart depicts 3 periods (5, 5, and 4-years) and examines the change between the 1st and 3rd periods. From 2005 to 2009, females made up 46.3% of dog bite fatality victims. This climbed to 56.6% in the third period (2015-2018), a 22% rise. Two age groups, 30-49 and 50-69, had significant rises, 108% and 91% respectively.

Rescue Dog-Inflicted Fatalities

2018 shows that rescued or rehomed dogs accounted for nearly 20% (7) of attacks resulting in human death; 57% (4) of these dogs were vetted by an animal shelter prior to adoption. Pit bulls inflicted 71% (5) of these deaths, including a pit bull on "death row" in West Virginia that killed its 64-year old adopter within 14 days. Susan Sweeney, 58, was killed even faster. Just days after her family adopted a mastiff-mix from The Animal Foundation in Las Vegas the dog brutally killed her.

Infant Khloe Williams was supposed to be "in good hands" while in the Florida foster care system. Her foster parent was a police detective too. But a female dog adopted from Pinellas County Animal Services 7 months earlier destroyed her. The dog belonged to the detective's mother, who was babysitting the child. The pair of male pit bulls that killed Bradley Cline, 62, in Nevada belonged to his son, who had adopted them from the Henderson Animal Shelter 8 months earlier.

The multi-year trend table shows that rescued or rehomed dogs involved in fatal maulings has increased by over 600% between the 1st and 3rd periods. Though the numbers are small, 3 deaths jumping to 21, it should serve as a "wake up call" to the shelter and rescue communities. Prior to 2010, fatal attacks inflicted by rescue dogs was an anomaly. If this growth rate persists, by 2023 rescue dog-inflicted fatalities will account for over 35% of fatal attacks within a single year.

Surge in Owner-Directed Attacks

Of the 10 owner-directed fatal attacks in 2018, 80% (8) killed adult females. Other attributes include: 3 deaths involved rescued or rehomed dogs; 2 deaths involved a married couple breeding Dogo argentinos when of one of the male dogs attacked and killed the owner's wife;2 2 deaths involved an owner being fatally injured while trying to break up a dogfight (both victims were male); and 3 deaths involved a longtime family pit bull suddenly, and brutally, killing it's female owner.3

The multi-year trend table shows that owner-directed fatal attacks increased by 67% between the 1st and 3rd periods. During the 3rd period (2015-2018), rescued or rehomed dogs were involved in one-third (8 of 24) of these fatal maulings. Pit bulls inflicted 67% (16) of these attacks followed by mastiffs (3), Dogo argentinos (2), rottweilers (2) and 1 mixed-breed. The combination of dangerous dog breeds and rescue pit bulls promises a continued rise in owner-directed attacks.

Adult Fatalities Continue to Rise Metric Shift

2018 marks another year when dogs killed more adults than children, 58% and 42% respectively. One can see by viewing the previous CDC study periods the dramatic change in the ages of victims killed by dogs. Children 0-9 years formerly dominated victims with 70%. This has since dropped to 40%. Since 2005, the fastest rising age group among adults is 50-69. We also know from the multi-year trend table that females within that age group have nearly doubled.

As children 0-9 years continue to fall over the 3 periods, 52%, 50% and 40%, and children 0-2 years continues to fall as well, 30%, 27% and 23%, there is still a painful eyesore. Infant deaths (< 1 year) are rising. Fatal infant attacks increased by 29% between the 1st and 3rd periods. During the 3rd period, infants comprised 15% of fatal dog mauling victims. Children 5-9 years, predominantly male victims, remained at a persistent level, making up 12% of all fatality victims.

Adults (≥ 10 years) Killed in Fatal Dog Attacks - Various Studies (1979-2018)
% Adults	Years	0-9	10-29	30-49	50-69	70+	Total	Entity/Study
30%	1979-1988	70%	6%	3%	11%	10%	157	CDC/Sacks 1989
43%	1989-1994	57%	5%	9%	10%	19%	108	CDC/Sacks, 1996
48%	2005-2009	52%	8%	10%	13%	17%	149	DogsBite.org, 2019
50%	2010-2014	50%	3%	13%	17%	17%	179	DogsBite.org, 2019
60%	2015-2018	40%	5%	12%	24%	19%	143	DogsBite.org, 2019

Pit Bull Victims by Age Groups

By viewing the full 14-year data set, one sees that pit bulls heavily contribute to the rising number of adult deaths. From 2005 to 2018, 53% of all victims (248 of 471) were adults ≥ 10 years. Pit bulls accounted for 73% (181 of 248) of these deaths. Unlike other dog breeds, pit bulls kill in every age group. They also kill more adults than children, 58% (181) v. 42% (130) respectively. It is also noteworthy that half of all infants killed by dogs since 2005 were struck down by pit bulls.

Percent of Pit Bull Deaths by Fatality Victim Age Group (2005-2018)
Category	< 1	1-2	3-4	5-9	10-29	30-49	50-69	70+	Total
Total Deaths	61	65	44	53	24	56	86	82	471
Pit Bull Deaths	30	40	25	35	21	41	64	55	311
% Pit Bulls	49%	62%	57%	66%	88%	73%	74%	67%	66%

Pit Bulls Increasingly Dominate Fatalities

The last chart we examine breaks the 14-year period into two parts, 8 and 6-years respectively, and shows the increasing number of fatal dog attacks inflicted by pit bulls over the last 6 years. From 2013 to 2018, pit bulls were involved in 73% of dog bite fatalities, despite only making up 7% of the total U.S. dog population. During this same period, rottweilers fell to 6%, placing them in close proximity to German shepherds (5%), mastiff/bullmastiffs (4.6%) and mixed-breeds (4.6%).4

Deadly attacks inflicted by rottweilers are predictable; the breed has already killed two young children in 2019. Yet, the rate of these attacks has slowed since 2007. The estimated population of rottweilers is 2.4% (average of last 3 years) and nearly 3 times lower than the pit bull population. Despite being in close proximity to several other breeds over the last 6 years, over the 14-year period, rottweilers still account for over twice as many deaths as German shepherds.

Summary and Call-to-Action

14 years of fatal dog bite statistical data is sufficient to evaluate the "breed-specific" issue. Pit bulls dramatically dominate attacks causing death, especially over the last 6 years, inflicting 73% of all deaths. The last time the CDC examined this issue was during the last century. Vigorous research, however, is ongoing across the country at Level 1 trauma centers regarding severe nonfatal dog bite injuries. The majority of these scientific studies also point to pit bulls as the leading culprit.

The multi-year trend table shows the dramatic change in the ages of victims of fatal dog maulings since the CDC study years (1979 to 1998). Over the last 4 years, adults have made up the majority of fatal dog attack victims, 60% vs. 40% children. Adults 50-69 years now comprise 24% of all victims; this is an 82% rise between the 1st and 3rd periods. Combined, females in the 30-49 and 50-69 age groups, now also make up nearly a quarter (24%) of all dog bite fatality victims.

Females made up 38.8% of fatal pit bull mauling victims from 2005 to 2009. This rose to 53.8% in the third period (2015-2018), a 39% rise.

Our call to action this year is simple: Do not adopt a pit bull or any fighting breed from a shelter or rescue, especially if you are a woman. Do not allow your family or friends to either. Attorney Kenneth Phillips of dogbitelaw.com has been sharing this same message in videos since early 2018, usually with a Super Bowl theme (See: 2018 and 2019). In March, he also created a video directed at women because females are now the most frequent victims of pit bull violence.

Additional Annual and Combined Year Statistical Graphics (2005 to 2018)

Data Collection Method: How We Collect U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Data

14 FOIA Requests: Offices we sent FOIAs to over the last 10 months to uncover unreported fatal dog maulings in 2018 and to gain additional records about reported dog bite fatalities: Clark County Coroner's Office, Nevada — Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Nevada — Henderson Police Department, Nevada — Siskiyou County Coroner's Office, California — Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office, California — Fresno Police Department, California — Fresno County Coroner's Office, California — Arcata Police Department, California — Hunt County Sheriff's Office, Texas — Carter County Sheriff's Office, Oklahoma — Pinellas County Animal Services, Florida — Milwaukee Medical Examiner's Office, Wisconsin — Cape Girardeau Police Department, Missouri — Logan County, West Virginia.

1A note about the ≥ 10 years age category. As indicated on the chart (14-Year U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Chart by Age Groups), there are so few dog bite fatalities in the 10-18 age group (1% of all deaths) we often combine the 10-18 and 19-29 groups into one group, 10-29, thus, combining all victims 10 and older into the adult category. The CDC began this practice during the last century, presumably because deaths in the 10-18 age group are so rare. We use the same age groups as they did in their studies so that we can make direct comparisons to them.
2The deaths of Jenna Sutphin, 28-years old (Huntington, MD), and Kristie Kelley, 44-years old (Greenville, TX).
3The deaths of Hong Saengsamly, 49-years old (Milwaukeem, WI), Della Riley, 42-years old (Cincinnati, OH) and Angela Smith, 55-years old (District of Columbia).
4During the 6-year period (2013 to 2018), canines killed 218 people. The top 5 killing breeds were: pit bull 72.9% (159), rottweiler 6.4% (14), German shepherd 5% (11), mastiff/bullmastiff 4.6% (10) and mixed-breed 4.6% (10).

Recent multi-year reports:

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Dighton Dog Attack Leaves a 14-Year Old Boy Dead and a Community Mourning

Ryan Hazel, 14, was found dead after after a dog attack in Dighton, Massachusetts.

Final Report Issued
UPDATE 06/21/19: The Bristol County District Attorney's Office released its undated final report determining there is no basis for filing criminal charges in connection to the death of a 14-year old boy. On May 9, 2019, five dogs at a property on Maple Swamp Road brutally killed Ryan Hazel. The dogs and property belong to Scott Dunmore, who was away during the attack. Ryan regularly cared for Dunmore's dogs while he was away. All five dogs were humanely euthanized.

"Ryan was experienced in caring for dogs; these five dogs in particular. He was devoted to caring for the dogs in a kind and humane manner."

The report states that Ryan was attacked by "one Dutch shepherd (two years old) and four Belgian malinois (three of whom were eight months old, and one of whom was four years old)." The attack likely occurred between 6:35 pm and 6:45 pm and the "sequence of events and the cause of the attack is not known and will likely never be known," states the report. "No evidence points to Ryan's actions or conduct contributing at all to cause his death," states the report.

05/17/19: Fundraiser for Family Soars
The fundraiser for the family of a 14-year old boy brutally killed by dogs has now surpassed $42,000. It's stated goal was only $5,000. On May 9, Ryan Hazel was killed by up to four dogs at 2477 Maple Swamp Road in Dighton while their owner was away. There were 11 adult dogs on the property and 9 puppies. Four dogs -- one Dutch shepherd and three Belgian malinois -- were loose in an outdoor fenced area during the attack; the other dogs were caged at the time.

The property and four attacking dogs belong to Scott Dunmore, 49, who is a professional dog trainer and highly regarded in "Schutzhund," a competitive sport for protection dogs. Dunmore's website, 3 Dogs Running, states he is the "only decoy in the country to be certified in all four major dog sports (Mondio Ring, French Ring, PSA and IPO)." It is unknown what level of protection training the dogs that killed Ryan had. Dunmore has been cooperating with investigators.

During a news conference last week, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III said that Ryan regularly cared for the dogs when Dunmore was away. Last Thursday, Ryan's grandmother drove him to the property at 6:00 pm and waited in the car while he completed his tasks. When he did not return in 45 minutes, she called his parents. His parents quickly contacted a neighbor to check on Ryan who found him suffering from "traumatic injuries" and called 911 at 7:59 pm.

Ryan's parents, Dennis and Jennifer, were in New York for American Kennel Club field trials when Ryan was attacked and killed by Dunmore's dogs. His parents are dog trainers and German shorthaired pointer breeders. The couple operates Wolf Plain Brooks Kennel in Rehoboth. Ryan was a student at Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical High School where he played football and ran track, according to his obituary. His Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 18.

dighton dog attack - -scott dunmore dog training

Scott Dunmore seen on the U.S. Mondioring website and his own website, 3 Dogs Running.

05/09/19: Teenager Killed by Pack of Dogs
Dighton, MA - A teenage boy is dead after being mauled by at least one dog. The Bristol County District Attorney's Office confirms that a 14-year old boy from Rehoboth was fatally attacked by dog(s) in the 2500 block of Maple Swamp in Dighton. Police responded to a 911 call about 8:00 pm. Police confirm they are investigating the boy's death as an apparent fatal dog mauling. "Multiple dogs" were taken into custody by animal control officials. No foul play is expected.

The Sun Chronicle reports the teenager was a student at Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School in Taunton. A press conference is scheduled for noon Friday at the Dighton police station. In news clips, one of the dogs removed from the home appeared to be a German shepherd. On Friday, NBC 10 Tweeted that a man who has done restoration at the home said he had observed kennels in the basement of the home and at least 15 "German shepherd looking" dogs.

WCVB reports that the teenager had been taking care of animals on the property. As many as 12 dogs, primarily German shepherds, were in the area where the victim was found, a source told WCVB. The contractor told WCVB that the owner of the property at 2577 Maple Swamp Road runs a dog training business -- about 10 to 15 dogs are "trained for police work." The technical school has activated its Crisis Response Team to assist students during this time of grief.

The teenager was later identified as 14-year old Ryan Hazel from Rehoboth. Hazel was watching the dogs for their owner, Scott Dunmore, 49 while Dunmore was in Boston, according to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn. The dogs were Dutch shepherds, Quinn said. The website, "3 Dogs Running," offers training by a Scott Dunmore in Boston, who has participated in AKC Obedience, Schutzhund (IPO), Mondio Ring, French Ring, PSA, and Dock Diving.

During the press conference, Quinn stated that Ryan took care of Dunmore's dogs and other animals on a "regular basis." On Thursday, Ryan's grandmother drove him to Dunmore's home and waited in the car while Ryan tended to the property chores. The grandmother told police that Ryan usually completed the chores in 30 to 45 minutes. After an hour passed, she became concerned and called his parents. His parents quickly contacted a neighbor to check on Ryan.

"The neighbor went onto the property at 2477 Maple Swamp Road. He eventually found Ryan lying on the ground in the rear yard suffering from traumatic injuries to various areas of his body. The neighbor also found four dogs in the yard and put them in the basement of the home. The remaining seven dogs are all believed to have been caged during the incident. The dogs that were outside were Dutch shepherds and a Belgian malinois. All 11 dogs were taken into custody ... by animal control and are being quarantined for up to 10 days ... The neighbor called 911 at 7:59 pm to report the incident and did attempt CPR on Ryan. However, the injuries he sustained were too severe and he was pronounced deceased at the scene by first responders. A full autopsy will be conducted..." - Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn

Later clarifications stated that three Dutch shepherds and one Belgian malinois were involved in the fatal attack -- both breeds are routinely trained as police dogs. Dunmore is highly regarded in "Schutzhund," a competitive sport for protection dogs. In February, there was a house fire on his property. Dunmore had been living in a trailer on the property while the damage was being repaired. Police do not know when during the two-hour window (6 to 8 pm) Ryan was attacked.

The Teenage Age Group

In our 14-year data set of 471 dog bite fatalities (2005 to 2018), teenage deaths are extremely rare. Within the 10-18 years age group, there are only 7 victims and 5 victims fall between the ages of 10-12 years, which are "tween" years. There are only two teenage victims, a 13-year old and 14-year old. Dunmore had 11 dogs on his property. It is unknown what level of protection training the four dogs that killed Ryan had. Dunmore has been cooperating with investigators.

Protection Trained Dogs

Ryan's death is the third death we have on record of a protection dog (trained in bite work) killing a person. The most recent involved a dual-certified police K-9 that broke out of its yard and killed a man. The 2.5-year old Belgian malinois was technically "retired" at the time, being in-between work gigs. In 2014, an IPO level 2 rottweiler, being spun as a "social protection dog with a switch," killed the trainer's 7-year old step-son when the boy took the dog outside to go to the bathroom.

At that time, Dutch animal behaviorist and author, Alexandra Semyonova wrote a 6-page response that explains: Bite threshold and bite inhibition, IPO bite work, Dogs with a "switch," Incompetent trainers, Breeding and other aspects about dogs trained for "personal protection" or police and military work. While the scenarios differ in all three deaths, two involved "experienced" attack trainers whose dog killed a juvenile. Readers new to this area may want to read her response.

Semyonova: The Tragic Fantasy that a Protection Dog Can Make a Reliable Family Pet

The GoFundMe for Ryan Hazel has already exceeded $27,000. Ryan's parents, Dennis and Jennifer Hazel, are dog trainers and breeders. The couple operates Wolf Plain Brooks Kennel -- German shorthaired pointers -- in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. His parents were in New York on Thursday for American Kennel Club field trials when Ryan was killed by Dunmore's dogs.

Scott Dunmore was living in a trailer on his property while his house was being repaired.

Property in Dighton where 14-year old Ryan Hazel was mauled to death by dogs Thursday.

Baseline reporting requirements:
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.

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Volunteer at Humane Society of St. Lucie County Dies After Pit Bull Attack

A volunteer died after being attacked by a pit bull at the Humane Society of St. Lucie County.

Violent, Traumatic Attack
UPDATE 05/15/19: Police released new details about a vicious dog attack that left a shelter volunteer of the Humane Society of St. Lucie County "mutilated" and "dead" last week. Christine Liquori, 52, was killed by a pit bull-mix named "Amos" that had been found wandering the streets a month earlier, not eight days earlier, as previously reported. Police concluded their investigation Wednesday and authorized the release of the 911 call made by an individual at the shelter.

Liquori arrived at the shelter about noon that day. She was found dead by a volunteer about 2:00 pm after he noticed that Amos was not in his kennel. The police report states that Liquori had "several lacerations and puncture marks to her right arm" and severe injuries to her face, which was covered in blood. A white plastic lawn chair, also covered in blood, was laying on its side next to Liquori, reports WPTV. Amos was found in the play area near Liquori with blood on its face.

Fort Pierce police said there was one surveillance camera outside the facility where the attack happened, but it was not working at the time.

In the 911 call, the dispatcher asks the caller, "Is she awake?" He replies, "No." The dispatcher next asks, "Is she breathing?" He replies, "No, I don't believe she is." The caller then states the condition of Liquori. "She's mutilated. And she's dead," he said. "She also has a severe laceration on her right arm," he added. David Robertson, the Executive Director of the Humane Society, said that Amos, who was available for adoption, had never shown any signs of aggression before.

05/12/19: Friends Mourn Woman's Death
Over the weekend, more information became known. David Robertson, the Executive Director of the Humane Society of St. Lucie County, said the dog that killed Christine Liquori, a longtime shelter volunteer, had arrived at the society's Fort Pierce Second Chance Shelter eight days earlier and had been up for adoption for two days. On Thursday, the dog brutally attacked Liquori, killing her, in an outside play yard pen. Liquori was alone with the dog when it attacked her.

Police spokeswoman Audria Moore-Wells told media outlets Friday via email, "The Fort Pierce Police Department is conducting a death investigation. This is an ongoing investigation and any comments will be provided at the conclusion of the investigation." Police have been tight-lipped from the get go. The initial story being spun was that it was "unknown" how she died. Fortunately, the coroner's office cleared that up quickly: She died of severe blood loss due to dog bites.

It is unknown how long Liquori was in the play yard with the new shelter dog, but death due to "severe blood loss" can happen within minutes if the bite severs a major artery. What is known is that the attacking pit bull-mix -- which the society has loads of -- had been cleared for "adoption to the public" six days after it arrived. Russian Roulette is a life-or-death "game" made famous by the Deer Hunter film. That is hardly what a potential adopter has in mind when visiting a shelter.

As mentioned earlier, Liquori was also a volunteer for Paws Fur Recovery, a group of "recovering addicts and alcoholics helping shelter dogs find new homes," according to their Facebook page. The group mainly rescues pit bulls. The group's founder, Lori Boettger, said that Liquori "loved loved loved what she did and she died doing what she loved." Except that no one knows how Liquori felt while being viciously attacked and bleeding out until her death -- Liquori died alone.

05/09/19: Volunteer Killed by Shelter Dog
Fort Pierce, FL - A volunteer at the Humane Society of St. Lucie County is dead after being bitten by a dog earlier today, Fort Pierce police said. Responders were called to the facility at 100 Savannah Road about 2:17 pm. "This incident involved an adult volunteer, who is deceased," police stated in a news release issued at 5:02 pm. The investigation was focused outside, in one of the "play group" pens, where they removed the body. No breed information was released.

WPTV reports that the female volunteer was found "dead inside a fenced play area, next to the shelter." Police say it's unclear if the victim died of a dog bite or from other causes. The "biting dog" is scheduled to be euthanized Friday. The victim was a member of Paws Fur Recovery, reports WPTV. A group of "recovering addicts and alcoholics helping shelter dogs find new homes," states their Facebook About Us page. The group primarily rescues pit bull-type dogs.

On Friday, the Human Society of St. Lucie County identified the woman as Christine Liquori, whose Facebook page indicates she primarily rescues pit bulls and American bulldogs (Scott-type). Another rescuer, Melissa McInturff, recently summed up her mauling death, "Another do-gooder gone too soon today..." McInturff's first and foremost goal was to advertise the adoption of unwanted pit bulls on behalf of Christine Liquori, "in her memory" so to speak -- Godspeed.

Statement of Sympathy on the Death of Christine Liquori. "It is with deep regret and with profound sympathy for her family and friends, that we must advise that on May 9, 2019, Christine was found deceased in the play area of our Fort Pierce Second Chance Shelter. Christine was a valued volunteer working with our good friends at Paws Fur Recovery. The circumstances of her tragic passing are under investigation by the proper authorities." - The Humane Society of St. Lucie County

The dog has since been identified as a pit bull-mix. Also on Friday, TC Palm reported that the coroner's office said the cause of death is exsanguination, or severe loss of blood, from dog bites. The manner of death was ruled an accident. David Robertson, the Humane Society’s executive director, said the facility is now reviewing all safety protocols, especially dog-walking protocols for volunteers. As the death investigation proceeds, the dog involved remains in a "limbo status."

The Humane Society of St. Lucie County joins a growing list of shelters involved with fatally attacking dogs, including: The Animal Foundation (NV), Henderson Animal Shelter (NV), Asheville Humane Society (NC), Jackson-Madison County Rabies Control (TN), Pinellas County Animal Services (FL), San Diego Humane Society (CA), El Paso Animal Services (TX), Rochester Animal Services (NY), Logan County Pound (WV), the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter (CT) and more.

volunteer humane society killed by dog - Christine Liquori

Christine Liquori was found dead in a "play yard" at the Humane Society of St. Lucie County.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Florida Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

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Vicious and Dangerous Dog Hearing for "Tank"

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