Posted on March 8, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Rescue Dogs Kill Toddler, Leave Grandmother with Traumatic Injuries in Alachua County

Tanner Kinnamon, 2-years old, was killed by his aunt's rescue dogs in Alachua County.

Suspected Dogs
UPDATE 03/13/19: Media reports have not named the child, the babysitter or the owner of the six pit bull-type rescue dogs. On Tuesday, the dog owner's husband deactivated his Facebook page -- a primary source for the images of the dogs.1 Due to this and other removals, we are now providing screenshots of their public Facebook pages showing their full names. Also, we believe we pinpointed the two attacking dogs based upon their pairing in the multi-pit bull household.

The dogs' owner, Jessica Hoffner, privatized or deleted the "collage" photograph that shows her half dozen pit bull-type rescue dogs.

The grandmother and babysitter, Julie Davis, started a "New Job at Personal Assistant to 7 Fur Grandogs," states an October 1, 2018, post on her Facebook page.2 In the comments sections, Davis posted a photo of each of the dogs, along with their names. Each dog is photographed separately, except the last two, Riley and Tasha. The multi-pit bull household was under a crate-and-rotate routine. The dog crates were separated into "multiple rooms" stated authorities.

Two dogs were in the yard together at the time of the fatal attack. This pairing was very likely the red-coated male pit bull-mix, described in media reports as a "chocolate lab-mix" and a white and brown female pit bull-mix, described in media reports as an American Staffordshire-mix -- a substitute name often used for a pit bull -- or an American bulldog-mix. Alachua County Animal Services appears to be behind this mislabeling effort after the dogs destroyed a 2-year old boy.

Finally, the other "job" listed on Davis' Facebook page is the "personal assistant" to her two grandsons. Being the "personal assistant" to a half-dozen pit bull-type dogs requiring "crate-and-rotate" due to intolerable dog aggression, along with being a "personal assistant" to her two grandsons, did not work out. The two pit bull-mixes that could tolerate each other are the dogs that killed the child and attacked Davis, who tried to save the boy by beating the dogs with a shovel.

On March 10, a GoFundMe page was started to help the family with funeral expenses.

The two family "rescue" pit bull-mixes suspected in the fatal mauling of a 2-year old child.

03/09/19: All Six Dogs Were "Rescues"
Additional information has been released by Alachua County law enforcement, including clarification of family relationships, the routine nature of the child's grandmother caring for the six dogs, and that all of the dogs were "rescues." On Friday, about 10:30 am, two family dogs fatally attacked a 2-year old boy and left his grandmother with "traumatic" injuries at 20915 NW 210th Avenue, a mobile home property at the end of a dirt road off 210th Avenue near High Springs.

One of the grandmother's daughters lives at the home; the child was the son of a second daughter. The grandmother often tended to the dogs while her daughter was at work. Two of the dogs were let out into the yard. The child went out to play and the grandmother went inside. When she returned, "there were no dogs and no boy," Lt. Brett Rhodenizer said. She heard sounds from an outbuilding behind the home. This is where she found the two dogs attacking the toddler.

The dogs' owner told Ed Williams, director of Alachua County Animal Services, that she "adopted all of the dogs from rescue." He added, "They were all sterilized as best I could tell and were current with their vaccines." What Williams did not say is that all of her rescue dogs are pit bull-type dogs. The owner and her husband are pit bull "breed advocates" too, according to each of their Facebook pages. The attackers are described as a pit bull-mix and American bulldog-mix.3

One can only deduce the obvious from a montage image posted by the owner to her Facebook page in 2018: pit bulls, pit bull-mixes, a Dogo argentino-mix along with an American bulldog-mix, which can have docked tails. There are no "chocolate lab-mixes" in this collection, but there is a red-nosed pit bull-mix. The Gainesville Sun article describes very similar dogs as these, but no photographs of the dogs taken during the 10-day quarantine period have been released.

Finally, we address part of Williams' statement during the media briefing: "housed in large, clean crates in multiple rooms." This indicates a crate-and-rotate pit bull household, where the crated dogs cannot be kept in the same room. Thus, there were multiple dog-aggressive pit bulls in the home. The crate-and-rotate "system" reduces dog fights in a multi-pit bull household. Also note that only two dogs were let out in the yard at the same time, the very dogs that killed the boy.

03/08/19: Dogs Kill Toddler, Injure Adult
High Springs, FL - Two dogs attacked and killed a 2-year old boy and severely injured his grandmother, according to the Alachua County Sheriff's Office. The vicious attack occurred about 10:30 am at a home on Northwest 210th Avenue, between High Springs and Interstate 75. The toddler died of his injuries at the scene. The woman was transported to a hospital with traumatic injuries. Neither of the victims lived at the property, according to Lieutenant Brett Rhodenizer.

Rhodenizer said the two victims had gone to the home to let the dogs out, as apparently, the dogs' owner was away. While the child played in the backyard, the grandmother stepped away, reports WCJB. When she heard noises outside, she found the dogs attacking the child. The grandmother tried to fight off the dogs, suffering serious injuries during her effort, but she could not save the toddler. Rhodenizer called the double mauling, "an incredible tragedy for the family involved."

"Our investigation will ultimately determine the facts that lead up to the attack, but no answers will ever make up for the loss of a child," he said.

A spokesman for Alachua County Animal Services gave a media briefing this afternoon. The property had six dogs, all housed in "large, clean crates in multiple rooms." Only two of the six dogs were in the fenced backyard when the attack occurred. The agency seized all six dogs. Two will be euthanized; the others will be held until the investigation is over. Conflicting media reports say the dogs are a pit bull-mix and a "chocolate lab-mix" or the latter, an American bulldog-mix.

The spokesperson said the home is owned by the child's aunt. The grandmother was there by herself taking care of the child and the dogs. According to the Sheriff's Office, the grandmother and her grandson go to the home every day to let the dogs out. On Friday, the child was in the backyard when two of the dogs "got out." The grandmother had gone inside to get food for the dogs. When she returned, she saw the dogs attacking her grandson and rushed to help him.

Partial Transcript of Media Briefing

"Alachua County Animal Services was notified of this morning's attack at approximately 10:36 am. We had an officer in Alachua working another case at the time. She was immediately diverted to this call. I was en route back to our shelter at the time and immediately diverted to this call. Arriving on scene around 11:05 to assist our officers. Upon arrival, I tried to ascertain the facts and make sure that all the dogs on scene were properly contained, so that no one was in immediate danger. Around the time of our arrival, first responders were already transporting the child's grandmother to the hospital. At the request of law enforcement, we awaited the arrival of ASO detectives and the forensics unit before attempting removal of the dogs. We removed a total of six dogs from the residence at 20915 NW 2010th Avenue in High Springs. They were housed in large, clean crates in multiple rooms and all appeared healthy and in good body condition. It was later reported to us that only two of the six dogs were in the fenced backyard when the attack occurred. The owner has surrendered those dogs -- those two dogs -- to animal services. They will be held for the standard 10-day rabies quarantine period and they will be euthanized. The remaining four dogs are being held until the completion of the investigation…"

"My understanding is the residence is owned by the child's aunt and the grandmother was there by herself taking care of the child and obviously the dogs…"

"The two [dogs] that were involved in the attack were surrendered to us. They will be held for 10-days rabies quarantine. That is for the safety and welfare of the grandmother, who was also attacked and injured in this incident. After the 10-days, they will be euthanized. The owner understood that when she surrendered them to us. She was very upset about it, as was she upset about what happened to the child as well. My understanding is the child was the homeowner's and dog owner's nephew." - Ed Williams, director of Alachua County Animal Services

Florida Children Killed by Dogs

This toddler's death comes after dogs killed four children in Florida last year. The death of 9-month old Liana Valino, killed by her father's pit bull while under the care of her grandmother in Miramar; the death of 6-year old Jaelah Smith, killed by a pit bull her family was dog sitting in Jacksonville; the death of 7-month old Khloe Williams, killed by a dog while in foster care in Clearwater; and the death of Cecileigh Garris, just 6-days old, killed by her grandparents' pit bull in Citrus County.

During the 911 call, the grandmother speaks to dispatch about the child's severe injuries.

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

1By late Wednesday evening, he reactivated his Facebook page.
2Some time on or before March 17, the grandmother removed this post, "New Job at Personal Assistant to 7 Fur Grandogs," and deactivated her Facebook account. We replaced link with a screenshot.
3On Friday night, WCBJ reported, "All 6 dogs at the home have been taken into custody, the 2 dogs responsible for the attack have been confirmed by Animal Services as an American Staffordshire Terrier mix and an American Bulldog mix."

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 March 5, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Child Killed by Babysitter's Pit Bull-Mix in Salisbury, North Carolina

Jacari Long, 6-months old, was mauled to death by his babysitter's pit bull-boxer mix.

Police Investigate
UPDATE 03/06/19: Multiple news stations captured footage of the pit bull-boxer mix that killed baby Jacari while under the care of his babysitter on Tuesday. The dog is currently being held by Rowan County Animal Control. Shelter officials confirmed the dog has shown aggression toward people while being at the facility. The male dog is 4-years old, police said. Police continue to investigate to determine if the babysitter's dog had displayed aggressive behaviors in the past.

"It was very horrific. Especially for the first responders, the hospital staff involved yesterday, I know they took it hard." - Lt. Greg Beam with Salisbury Police

The WCNC report also states the babysitter left Jacari in a car seat inside the home while she went outside to clean the back of her car to make room for the baby. When she heard her mother screaming, she ran back inside and found her dog attacking the baby. The two women rushed Jacari to a hospital. He was then airlifted to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, where he died. Police were not called until after the baby was airlifted to the trauma center in Winston-Salem.

Fox 46 Charlotte reports that "King" has been euthanized. The news station also spoke to Denise Small on the phone, a friend the baby boy's family. Small said she is heartbroken over Jacari's mauling death. "He didn't even have the chance to live life or even have a chance to enjoy life," she said. Small also wants the owner held responsible. "Right is right and wrong is wrong. They have to take the responsibility of what they did by having that dog around that baby," she said.

Deaths by Babysitter's Dog

Last year, 28% (10) of dog bite fatalities involved a babysitting or dog sitting scenario. Nine of these victims were ages 0 to 6. Five of these deaths involved the child visiting the babysitter or dog owner's home at the time, including the traumatic deaths of Jaevon Torres, killed by three pit bulls while under the care of his godmother in Philadelphia and Liana Valino, killed by one of her father's three pit bulls while under the care of her paternal grandmother in Miramar, Florida.

Of these 10 deaths, 70% involved pit bulls. Recent criminal convictions involving babysitters after a baby's mauling death include Erica Jordan, 33, in connection to the mauling death of Loxli Chavez in Missouri in 2018 and Sandra Adams, 70, in connection to the mauling death of Paris Adams, her own grandson, in Georgia in 2017. Jordan began her 4-year prison term in January 2019. It is unknown if Jacari was related to the babysitter, who is reportedly the baby's godmother.

03/05/19: Babysitter's Dog Kills Child
Salisbury, NC - A baby boy is dead after being attacked by a dog belonging to his babysitter, Salisbury police said. Jacari Long, 6-months old, died of the injuries he sustained in the attack. The attack occurred at a home in the 700 block of Wilson Road, near Livingstone College. The baby was taken to Novant Health Rowan Medical Center and airlifted to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, where he died. The dog is described as a boxer-pit bull mix.

Police were called to the scene about 2:30 pm and determined that Jacari was inside the babysitter's home when the deadly attack happened. Police said the babysitter sat the child in the living room of her home and walked outside to clean the back seat of her car so that she and the baby could leave. While outside, the babysitter heard her mother scream. She ran back inside and found her dog attacking the baby. Rowan County Animal Control confiscated the animal.

Police said that no additional details would be released tonight. In the livecast of Fox 46 Charlotte 10:00 pm news, they called the dog a "pit bull." The baby's father shared the last video he made with Jacari on his Facebook page. Family relatives also posted in memory of Jacari to Facebook.

The family has started a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs - Jacari Long Memorial Fund.

Salisbury Police News Release

On March 5, 2019 at 2:29 pm, Salisbury Police were notified of a child that was being airlifted to NC Baptist Hospital for treatment of a dog bite. Upon investigation, officers determined that the incident happened at the home of the child’s baby sitter at 716 Wilson Road in Salisbury.

The baby sitter had sat the child down in the living room of her residence and walked outside to clean the backseat of her car so that she and the child could leave. The babysitter heard her mother scream and ran back inside of the residence. There she found the child being attacked by her boxer/pit bull mix dog. The child was taken to Novant Rowan and then Airlifted to NC Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem.

Due to the extent of the dog bite, 6 month old Jacari Long of Lexington NC passed away from his injuries. Rowan County Animal Control responded to the residence and took custody of the dog. Salisbury Police are still investigating and no further information will be released at this time. - Salisbury Police, March 5, 2019

The babysitter's 4-year old male pit bull-mix, named King, that killed baby Jacari on Tuesday.

salisbury pit bull attack - Denise Small

Denise Small, a friend the baby boy's family, hopes the dog's owner is held responsible.

View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: North Carolina Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

Million Dollar Lawsuit: Mother of Child Mauled by an 'Emotional Support' Pit Bull at Portland Airport Sues

Facial injuries inflicted on Gabriella Gonzalez by an emotional support pit bull.

Million Dollar Lawsuit
Portland, OR - A civil lawsuit seeking $1.1 million in damages was filed last week by the mother of a 5-year old child who was mauled in the face by an unconfined emotional support pit bull at the Portland International Airport in 2017. The lawsuit was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court and names multiple defendants, including the dog's owner, Michelle Brannan, who should have known that her pit bull "possessed vicious propensities," the Port of Portland and Alaska Airlines.

The lawsuit claims the Port of Portland is at fault for allowing a dangerous emotional support animal (ESA) into the airport and to pass through security without the dog being in a crate. The lawsuit also claims that Alaska Airlines is at fault for allowing Brannan to bring a dangerous ESA into the gate waiting area, where the attack happened, when the dog was not a trained service animal and was not crated, muzzled or otherwise restrained from attacking a person.

On or about December 18, 2017, Gabriella Gonzalez, age 5, was at Gate C7 of the Portland International Airport waiting for a flight with her family. Defendant Michelle Brannan came to the Portland International Airport with her pit bull. Ms. Brannan claimed the pit bull was an emotional support animal. She went through the ticketing process at Alaska Airlines without the pit bull being in a crate, kennel or other secure container. She then took the pit bull through Port of Portland security without the animal being in a crate, kennel or another secure container. Once inside the secure area of the airport, she went to gate C7 where her pit bull attacked Gabriella Gonzalez causing serious injuries as fully set forth below.

Download: Mirna Gonzalez v. Michelle Brannan, Alaska Airlines and Port of Portland

Gabriella suffered the economic damages of $100,000 and the non-economic damages of $1 million, which includes past and future pain and suffering, states the lawsuit. "Gabriella Gonzalez suffered injury to the muscles, tendons, bones, nerves and soft tissue of her face, eye, eyelid, tear duct and lip, as well as emotional trauma," states the lawsuit. All of the injuries and the "consequences of them, are permanent" and have caused her to suffer non-economic damages.

In Oregon, dog owners are only held strictly liable for the payment of "economic damages," such as medical bills. For full compensation, the victim has to prove "negligence, violation of an animal control law like a leash law, or that the dog was known to be vicious toward humans," states dogbitelaw.com. The lawsuit alleges that Brannan had "prior notice of the vicious propensities and disposition of her pit bull" and is strictly liable for the economic and non-economic damages.

The Port of Portland and Alaska Airlines are strictly liable for both types of damages due to negligence. The entities violated the Portland International Rules, which prohibit bringing an animal into the airport unless it is in a carrier or other approved container or is a trained service or law enforcement animal. Both also failed to "inspect the premises" to discover that passengers were bringing unsecured, untrained, dangerous animals into the airport, states the lawsuit.

All three defendants are strictly liable for both types of damages due to negligence; Brannan alone is accused of the "vicious propensities" claim.

Portland attorney Chad Stavely filed the lawsuit. He told The Oregonian that Gabriella and her family were waiting at gate C7 to board a plane to Texas for the Christmas holiday. The child's mother and her older sister stepped away to get coffee while Gabriella and her 13-year old brother waited at the gate. With Brannan’s consent, Gabriella started to pet the dog. The pit bull then attacked her face, puncturing her eyelid, severing her tear duct and inflicting other injuries.

The Oregonian also spoke to Kama Simonds, a spokesperson for the Port of Portland. Simonds said the port does distinguish between trained service animals and emotional support animals -- the latter must be in carriers while moving through the airport. If the animal is too large for a carrier, it must be on a leash within three feet of its owner. Port officials cited Brannan for failing to crate her pit bull, so officials must have believed the dog was not too large for a carrier.

Unlike in most aircraft cabins, where ESAs are allowed uncaged, the Port of Portland required them to be in carriers during the ticketing process, passing through security and moving through the airport. Six months after Gabriella was bitten, the Port of Portland updated their rules and posted signage in the terminal to inform owners of emotional support animals that they must be kept in a pet carrier. Only ESAs "too large" for a carrier can be "carried" or on a short leash.

Untrained, Uncaged Emotional Support Animals

In July 2017, we published a special report after an untrained, uncaged "support dog" repeatedly attacked a passenger in the face onboard a Delta aircraft in Atlanta. The report details the unprovoked attack, how passengers routinely "game the system" by buying fake service dog and ESA credentials online and argued that ESAs in the cabin should be limited in size. The 50-pound "support dog" had been sitting on its owner's lap when it attacked the passenger one seat over.

Our report was limited to inside an aircraft. The Portland case involves the broader experience of airline travel -- time spent traversing, waiting and interacting at an airport. There are numerous security protocols at airports to keep the public safe and to stop threats from boarding a plane. Yet in this case, Brannan waltzed through the security checkpoint with her support pit bull uncrated, while knowing of the dog's vicious propensities, and gave a young child consent to pet her dog.

We cannot emphasize enough the negligent actions of Brannan, given her alleged "prior notice of the vicious propensities" of her pit bull.

The definition of an ESA is that they do not require any training, much less any training for public access. The sole function of an ESA is to "provide comfort" to a person with disabilities. If the Port of Portland and Alaska Airlines had been enforcing the Portland International Rules, Brannan and her unsecured ESA would have been stopped at the Alaska Airline ticketing area or when reaching the airport's security checkpoint. Both entities failed to do so and a lawsuit has resulted.

The lawsuit also states the Port of Portland and Alaska Airlines are negligent for "failing to warn guests of the dangers of unsecured, untrained animals in the airport so that they could protect themselves." When Brannan's unsecured emotional support pit bull bit Gabriella in the face at gate C7, there was no notice to the public that ESAs by definition are untrained (as are fake service dogs) and can pose a danger when unsecured. Such notices are likely absent today too.

Tightening the Reins on Untrained ESAs

In January 2018, Delta Air Lines introduced "enhanced requirements" for service and emotional support animals, requiring proof of vaccinations and more. Many airlines followed, including Alaska Airlines, whose new policy came into effect in May 2018 -- just five months after Gabriella was bitten. Among Alaska's requirements are a Confirmation of Liability and Emotional Support Animal Behavior form and an Animal Health Advisory form -- no proof of vaccinations is required.

In June 2018, Delta Air Lines announced additional restrictions on service and support animals. The restrictions include limiting each passenger to one emotional support animal per flight and banning pit bull-type dogs as service or support animals. "These updates, which come as the peak summer travel season is underway, are the direct result of growing safety concerns following recent incidents in which several employees were bitten," states the Delta news release.

The Delta policy went into effect July 10, one day after public comments closed by the Department of Transportation to determine the "appropriate definition of a service animal" and ways to reduce the number of fake service and support animals. Nothing has resulted from the proposed rulemaking process thus far. Allegiant Air followed suit in December 2018, stating on their service animal and ESA forms, "Please note Allegiant does not transport pit bull or pit bull-type breeds."

That same month, Delta pushed even further by banning ESAs on long haul flights and banning all service and support animals under the age of four months. “We will continue to review and enhance our policies and procedures as health and safety are core values at Delta,” said John Laughter, Senior Vice President – Corporate Safety, Security and Compliance. Again, the rulemaking process can be arduous and Delta must only provide "reasonable accommodation."

Port Authorities and Airlines on Notice

The million dollar lawsuit filed by Gabriella's mother places all port authorities and airlines on notice. An airport is a "public access" space that is governed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The act does not afford ESAs access to public spaces. Only trained service animals have this authorization. Municipal port authorities with lax enforcement of their own rules or those that grant ESAs the same access privileges as service dogs may be at risk of a similar lawsuit.

Stavely told the Washington Post that he hopes the lawsuit will push port authorities and airlines to strictly enforce the strengthened polices around ESAs that were largely created in response to the severe facial attack inflicted by a "support dog" onboard a Delta aircraft in 2017.1 Stavely also said that he plans to investigate whether the pit bull that bit Gabriella was a legitimate emotional support dog. Brannan's ESA letter simply prescribed an "animal" for her, not even an animal type.

This $1.1 million lawsuit will indeed push the envelope on this competing public interests debate. The public and airlines like Delta exhibit far less tolerance today for people abusing the Air Carrier Access Act so their pets can fly free. The severe facial attack Gabriella suffered while waiting at gate C7 could have been averted. All three parties, the dog's owner, the Port of Portland and Alaska Air, are now being accused of fault. We hope this civil lawsuit is argued before a jury.

The Portland Law Office of Chad Stavley specializes in significant injury and wrongful death cases and has the "largest dog attack verdict in recent Oregon history," according to the firm's website.

emotional support pit bull - portland airport

On February 27, 2019, Michelle Kay Brannan removed the above Facebook profile image.

emotional support pit bull PDX facial attack

Reflects the Portland International Airport (PDX) rules six months after the attack (6/28/2018).

1Technically, the 50-pound dog that attacked Marlin Jackson in the face was a psychiatric service dog (PSA), according to comments by Delta Air Lines posted to the U.S. Department of Transportation website in July 2018. Most airlines treat these two types of dogs the same in flying requirements, despite one being a service dog under the ADA that "performs a task" and the other, which "provides comfort" to a person with a qualifying disability.

Posted on February 28, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Elderly Woman Killed by Neighbor's Pack of Dogs in Lubbock, Texas

Johnnie Mae Garner, 88, died after she was attacked by a pack of dogs in Lubbock.

Charged with Felony
UPDATE 03/09/19: On Friday, police arrested Courtney White, 47, the owner of six pit bull-mixes that fatally attacked an elderly woman last month, in connection to her mauling death. White is charged with a second-degree felony count of "attack by dog." On February 27, Johnnie Garner, 88, was brutally attacked by White's loose dogs at her northeast Lubbock home in the 1800 block of East Colgate Street. She sustained life-threatening injuries and later died at a local hospital.

White was arrested a few hours after Lubbock police investigators presented their case to the Lubbock County Criminal District Attorney’s office. White was booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center Friday. White's dogs had a history of running loose and attacking people. Just two days before killing Garner, Roy Brown said that four of White's dogs attacked him after killing a dog. Brown suffered multiple injuries and was taken to UMC by ambulance after the attack.

The Texas felony dog attack statute (Health and Safety Code 822.005), "Attack by Dog," was enacted in 2007 and has two sections. White is likely being charged under the first: "with criminal negligence, as defined by Section 6.03, Penal Code, fails to secure the dog and the dog makes an unprovoked attack on another person that occurs at a location other than the owner's real property ... that causes serious bodily injury, as defined by Section 1.07, Penal Code, or death..."

Arrest Warrant Released

Three days after White was arrested and charged, additional facts became known when the arrest warrant was released. On February 25, four of White's dogs attacked Brown and killed a dog. At that time, White called Lubbock Animal Services to turn over the dogs, stating he could no longer care for them or keep them secure. White reportedly showed investigators his call logs, which showed that he called the city agency two days before his pack of pit bull-mixes killed Garner.

According to White, the agency told him he needed to "make an appointment" to drop off the dogs and the earliest timeslot was March 1. Investigators said a portion of White's backyard fence was blown down and other parts of the fence were in disrepair. So, why didn't the agency seize White's dogs after they attacked Brown and killed a dog on February 25? Also, why did White have to wait four days to surrender his "biting" and dangerous dogs to an "open admission" city shelter?

Roy Brown cries during the KCBD interview after Garner was mauled and killed and states, "This lady did not have to die, she really didn't."

White's dogs killed Garner on February 27. At that time, animal services seized all six of his dogs -- no "waiting period" was required. The four dogs that attacked Brown and killed a dog on February 25 should have been in quarantine at the time of Garner's death. At the very least, White should have been able to surrender his dogs quickly after the February 25 attack. The Lubbock Animal Shelter and Adoption Center is open daily 8am - 6pm and Saturday 12pm - 4pm.

03/04/19: Dogs Euthanized
All six dogs involved in the mauling death of 88-year old Johnnie Garner were euthanized. Steven Greene, director of Lubbock Animal Services, said his agency responded to the scene last Wednesday and impounded the dogs. Greene described all six dogs as pit bull-mixes. Greene said he's never seen an attack that has caused death. "I've been here since August of 2013 with the department and I haven't ever seen an attack that's caused a death within the city," he said.

The death of Garner is the first dog bite fatality we have recorded in Lubbock County since 2005; the year that marks our data collection of all U.S. dog bite fatalities. The Fatal Pit Bull Attacks archive shows that Alva Rogers, 82, was killed by a pit bull in Lubbock County in 2000 and Aurora Gonzales, 64, was struck down by a pit bull in the county in 1997. All three victims were older females. There are no recorded Lubbock County deaths in the Fatal Rottweiler Attacks archive.

Just after we published this update, KCBD reported that a Lubbock man was attacked by four of these same pit bull-mixes just two days before they killed Garner. Roy Brown said the dogs attacked him in an alley as he was walking home. “That lady didn’t have to die, she really didn’t," Brown said. He said he unknowingly walked up on the pack of dogs after they had killed another dog. Then the dogs attacked him. Brown was taken to UMC by ambulance after the attack.

These previous attacks on a person and pet dog while being "at large" should prompt charges under the Texas felony dog attack law. Police have not released the name of the dogs' owner.

02/28/19: Pack of Dogs Kill Woman
Lubbock, TX - An 88-year old woman is dead after being mauled to death by a pack of dogs, Lubbock police confirmed. Police responded to the 1800 block of East Colgate Street about 6:30 pm Wednesday after it was reported that six dogs attacked her. "The reporting party came home and found his dogs had gotten out of his yard," police said. "He found them attacking his neighbor," police said. The victim was transported to Covenant Health where she later died.

Lubbock Animal Control confiscated the attacking dogs. Police later released identification photographs of the dogs to media outlets.

Family members identified the victim as Johnnie Mae Garner. According to the police report, a neighbor told the dogs' owner that his dogs were loose and running around. The owner went into the alley to find them and heard Garner screaming for help. He found the dogs mauling Garner. He jumped the fence to help, but his own "pack of dogs" then charged him. Police have not released the dog owner's name, who apparently flagged down the officers to help them locate Garner.

In an evening update by Fox 19 News, identification photographs of all six dogs were released. Two of the dogs are pit bulls. The rest appear to be part pit bull. The dogs may be related too -- siblings or offspring. In the City of Lubbock, no residence shall harbor more than four adult dogs. Any person desiring more must apply with the director of animal services for a multipet permit, which requires a premises inspection to determine compliance and renewal every two years.

Packs of Dogs Killing Women

Garner's death marks a string of women killed by a pack of loose dogs, starting with Dianne Reves, 70, who was killed by seven dogs belonging to her neighbor on January 9 in Grenada, Mississippi. Reves had worked for years as a nurse. She died alone in her backyard. On January 16, Lana Bergman, 70, was mauled to death by a pack of loose pit bulls on her own property in Joshua Tree, California. The dogs belonged to unwelcome squatters staying on her property.

On February 9, Angela Johnson, 54, died following a brutal mauling late last year. On December 15, Johnson was hanging laundry in her yard in rural Anza, California when three loose pit bulls attacked her. On February 18, Brenda Hamilton, 77, was attacked by a suspected pack of dogs near her home in Pentago, North Carolina. She died two days later. Hamilton had been an English teacher at Pungo Christian School since 1968 and was known as the school's "matriarch."

Finally, just two days ago, Bessie Peterson, 88, was discovered horribly injured by a pack of dogs on her own property in Pickett County, Tennessee. She was airlifted from the scene to Vanderbilt Medical Center where she later died. The pack of dogs are alleged to belong to a neighbor. No breed information or description of the dogs has been made public. Garner's death marks the sixth female victim, aged 54 to 88, in this series of similar fatal pack attack maulings since January 9.

Despite each death involving a pack of loose dogs and negligent owners, no criminal charges have been filed in any case yet. Local and state dog attack statutes are so deficient in the U.S. that even when a "pack of dogs" -- which by definition is "dangerous" -- escapes a dog owner's property and savagely mauls a person to death, authorities are slow-moving at best and at worst, they throw up their arms and say, "My hands are tied. There is no statute to charge under."

In each case, the women were on their own property when the dogs attacked, except for Hamilton, who was taking her routine morning walk on Indian Run Road near her home. After Johnson was brutally attacked, her son published an update on her GoFundMe page. "She was lifeless when family found her. Her eyes were stuck as wide open as could be … and that terrified expression stayed on my mom's face, until she was airlifted to Desert Regional Hospital," her son wrote.