In the 14-year period of 2005 through 2018, canines killed 471 Americans. Pit bulls contributed to 66% (311) of these deaths. Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers contributed to 76% of the total recorded deaths. | More »
Pair of male pit bulls believed to be Spike and Zeus three months before killing a man.
DogsBite.org - During 2018, we sent out 10 public information requests to uncover unreported dog bite fatalities, as well as to gain more information on cases that did receive media coverage. There were a total of 36 deaths in 2018. Our requests uncovered two of these 36 deaths that otherwise were unreported, or in the case of a devastating family pit bull mauling in Henderson in May, was only reported as a second dog mauling death in Clark County, Nevada with no other details.
In October 2018, Susan Sweeney, 58-years old, was brutally killed by a mastiff-mix she adopted several days earlier from The Animal Foundation in Las Vegas -- the county seat of Clark County. Her death made national headlines. Yet, five months earlier, also in Clark County, a 62-year old man was viciously mauled and killed by a pair of male pit bulls adopted from the Henderson Animal Shelter eight months earlier. There were no media reports about his mauling death.1
Both fatal dog attacks that went unreported in 2018 involved a destructive attack by a family pit bull on the dog owner's parent.
On May 23, 2018, Henderson police were dispatched to a home on Shimmering Glen Avenue about 7:30 pm. Officers found the male victim "suffering from serious injuries to his throat, neck, face and other extremities," states the police report. Bradley Cline, 62, was transported to Sunrise Hospital for medical treatment. Police determined that four pit bulls resided in the home. Arriving officers observed "large pools of blood covering the entirety of the living room," states the report.
A witness said that Cline was attempting to take a female pit bull, named "Terror Vicious Cuddle Bugs," outside when a pair of male pit bulls, Spike and Zeus, attacked the female. When Cline intervened to stop the fight, both males attacked him. The attack lasted up to 20 minutes, states the report. Cline died of his injuries three days later. The male pit bulls' owner, Cline's son, told police he adopted Spike and Zeus on September 19, 2017 from the Henderson Animal Shelter.
The neutered, microchipped, gray and white pit bulls were about 1-year old at the time of the attack, states the report. Both dogs were euthanized. A February 17, 2018 Facebook post shows a family member had tried to rehome the pair of male sibling pit bulls because, "we can't keep them with our other pit bulls," she wrote. Three months later, in a grisly mauling of up to 20 minutes long, leaving "blood evidence on the walls, floors, furniture in the room," the dogs killed Cline.
The Clark County Coroner ruled the cause of death as "canine mauling" and the manner of death an accident. Our initial public information request was to the coroner to ensure that our records matched the number of dog bite-related deaths over a 6-year period (Jan 1, 2013 to Dec 31, 2018) in Clark County.2 We then requested and were able to obtain records from the Henderson Police Department about the May 26 dog mauling death of Cline and the outcome of the involved dogs.
Lastly, the police report also states, "It was learned that 4 pit bulls were currently in the house, secured in rooms, the garage, and the backyard." While details about the day-to-day housing of the dogs is unknown, we do know the pair of males could not be kept with the other pit bulls. Thus, a crate-and-rotate routine was needed in the multi-pit bull household to keep the dogs from fighting. A similar scenario, which did not prevent the fatal attack of a toddler, occurred in March.
1The last recorded fatal dog mauling in Henderson involved the heavily litigated case of a dog named "Onion," a mastiff-Rhodesian ridgeback that killed a 1-year old boy in April 2012. After two years of legal wrangling between the City of Henderson and animal rights advocates, the city released the dog to the Lexus Project, which sent the dog to an unnamed out-of-state rescue. Perhaps that is why there was a tight lid on Cline's case. Henderson fought hard for two years to put Onion down only to become the center of a national debate to "save a dog" that violently killed an innocent child. Six years after the boy's death, revelations about Onion continue. In 2017, after "another" upheaval at the city of Albuquerque’s Animal Welfare agency due to allowing potentially dangerous shelter dogs to be adopted to the public, the rescue was identified. At that time, on the hot seat was director Paul Caster, who had hired an animal rights colleague from Colorado, Deb Brinkley, as an associate director of the department. Brinkley admitted that it was her Colorado animal rescue, DMK Rehoming, that stepped into "save" Onion after the dog killed the boy. Brinkley was also on the hot seat due to her "frequent habit of blaming victims for dog bites," reported the Albuquerque Journal. Brinkley was later "placed on administrative leave after revelations surfaced that she cherry-picked adoptable dogs, including puppies, from the city shelters for transfer to her private animal rescue. The rescue sold puppies for $250 when the city of Albuquerque was charging $80," reported the Albuquerque Journal. 2We do not include dog bite sepsis deaths in our fatality statistics, so we redacted that victim's name.
Author releases 2nd edition of book with new chapters: Misunderstood Nanny Dogs?
Purchase on Amazon DogsBite.org - In April 2015, we wrote a review of Beasley's book, Misunderstood Nanny Dogs? The book examines the pit bull problem and offers an objective analysis of the facts and myths about pit bulls. The 2nd edition was released in December 2018 and contains new chapters about the abundance of unwanted pit bulls in shelters and the proliferation of fake service and support dogs, which has led to high profile vicious attacks by several "emotional support" pit bulls.
Beasley also updated statistics throughout the 2nd edition, as fatal maulings inflicted by pit bulls now exceeds over 100 new victims since the 1st edition was published. Purchase a copy for under $10 dollars or download the free Kindle version. As we stated four years ago, this short, easy to read version of the pit bull problem and the history of the pit bull breed is a must for supporters. It is a must for pit bull owners too; many of which have no knowledge of the breed's true heritage.
"I gladly and somberly dedicate this book to all of the victims of violent dog attacks, and their loved ones, that have had to endure the agony and trauma of such a horrible and tragic event, and to all those who stand up for them, despite a never-ending sea of hate and derision." - J. Thomas Beasley
Shelters and Rescues
The new chapter on shelters and rescues begins with a law passed in California mandating that all pets sold in pet stores be solely provided by shelters and rescues. Beasley discusses the "no-kill" movement and how it is worsening an animal rescue system already "buckling under its own weight." Beasley also discusses how some shelters are misleading the public by concealing aggression and dropping breed labels in order to adopt out pit bulls to unsuspecting families.
"We are reminded of the dangers associated with shelter misinformation and shady tactics all too often" ... All to "bolster their live release rate."
Beasley states the problem of unwanted and unadoptable pit bulls in shelters, which occupy up to 70% of shelter space in some open admission facilities, must be addressed by preventing new births. "This problem has to be addressed at the supply side, not the distribution side," Beasley states. If legislators and animal welfare groups truly want to help pit bulls, the relentless backyard breeding of these dogs must be controlled through mandatory spay and neuter legislation.
Fake Service Dogs, ESAs
In the service dog scam chapter, Beasley touches on the Delta attack in June 2017, where a fake service dog attacked a passenger in the face. This attack ushered in policy changes for airlines. In June 2018, Delta went even further by banning all pit bull-type dogs as service and support dogs after two employees were bitten by a passenger's "emotional support" pit bull.1 Beasley also touches on the viral New York City subway attack inflicted by a fake pit bull service dog.
"The problem, among others, is that there is no clear definition of what qualifies as an ESA, or what qualifies a person to have an ESA."
Due to the murky waters of emotional support animal (ESA) policies, compounded by for-profit entities that provide ESA letters via online assessment, Beasley writes, more people are trying to pass off untrained ESAs as a legitimate service animal. By definition, an ESA does not require any training; it's "sole function is to provide comfort" to a person with disabilities. Beasley also notes a study that examines the ethical and legal risks associated with psychologists certifying an ESA.2
Built Upon Many Sources
Beasley’s book is built upon many sources that he nicely weaves together, covering all of the key elements for a person new to this issue, while only briefly touching on the quagmire issues. In just over an hour, one can read his book and be armed with extensive insights about the nuts and bolts of the pit bull mauling epidemic, the true history of the pit bull breed, the primary false myths about pit bulls and the "mentality" of the echo-chamber of voices who continue repeating these myths.
Finally, as a theme expressed repeatedly throughout the book, Beasley ends with the starting point of how to begin advancing society beyond the pit bull mauling epidemic. The starting point to greatly reducing the number of maulings inflicted by pit bulls does not require breed-specific legislation. It just requires one thing -- being honest about this dog breed. We either do this as a society, or remain blind, unalarmed or "ignorant of the mass violence caused by these dogs."
"But mostly, we need to just start being honest about these dogs. Stop feeding biased propaganda to the public. Stop ignoring the inordinate number of dead and seriously injured people caused by Pit Bulls every year. Stop perpetuating myths about this breed - myths that were created to promote the breed by disingenuous and unqualified advocates." - J. Thomas Beasley
Jesse Thomas Beasley was born in Savannah, Georgia. He graduated from Armstrong State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Administration before moving to New Orleans, Louisiana to attend law school. Jesse's law practice focuses on public interest advocacy, including representing indigent clients in both civil and criminal proceedings, often on a pro bono basis. Read his full author bio »
1Comments of Delta Air Lines, Inc., on the Department of Transportation (DOT) Proposed Rule: Traveling by Air with Service Animals Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM). Wednesday, May 23, 2018. 2Younggren, J. N., Boisvert, J. A., & Boness, C. L. (2016). Examining emotional support animals and role conflicts in professional psychology. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 47(4), 255-260.
The Outcome of the Legal Proceedings; A Bittersweet Deal
Boomer was ravaged to death by unleashed dogs while lying outside his front door.
Beloved Cat Killed Tomball, TX - On January 21, two loose dogs viciously attacked a cat named Boomer as it lay sleeping on the front door welcome mat of its home. Ray Gravenstein rushed outside to stop the dogs. The attack was captured by a ring doorbell camera on the family's front door. "I tried to rush to the vet, but never made it out of the driveway," Gravenstein said back then. The owners of the dogs quickly claimed "victimhood" due to the "fallout" on social media and refused comment.
Gravenstein's daughter Megan, who arrived at the scene after the lethal attack, provided a longer narrative to DogsBite, including the legal proceedings that followed. Her Twitter account provides more videos and photographs of the dreadful behavior of the caretaker of the dogs -- a female teenager who was house-sitting the dogs at the time. Like many victims of dog attacks, the Gravensteins were shocked by the violence then faced the cruel behavior that followed.
Megan shares her story with DogsBite.org to raise awareness and hopefully to save another pet's life. "I'm sharing this painful story in hopes to raise awareness," Megan wrote. "It won't bring our beloved kitty back, but at least it can maybe save another pet, or heaven forbid a child. They must be held accountable for their irresponsible, illegal, heartless actions. I'm in shock that people can be so cruel. I am hoping that something positive can come from this pain. I miss you Boomer."
The sunny morning of January 21st faded into midnight clouds with a call from my mom. Her voice was breaking, so instantly I knew something was wrong. I never could have envisioned it was this. She cried out that our beloved Boomer was gone. I screamed, "NO, is this a joke?" It had to have been. This doesn't happen to our family. This is something we see on TV and on social media. I threw on some clothes and drove the longest 20 minutes to my parent's house calling the cops on my way.
"He was a handsome Maine Coon, who had soul piercing emerald-green eyes with shimmering flecks of gold. He was a special part of our family for 10 years..."
Boomer was our family cat, but truthfully more so my dad's. He was a handsome Maine Coon, who had soul piercing emerald-green eyes with shimmering flecks of gold. He was a special part of our family for 10 years and came with an oversized personality. We would joke and say he was bipolar because one minute he was cuddling you, then in the next, looking at you as his second course. The stinker actually cornered me a few times growling and hissing. Luckily for me, he would eventually back off so I could execute my escape. However, those instances were seldom and when his PMS subsided, he was a huge furball of love. He was always an inside cat, but over the past few years had developed a love for being outside in the sunshine or captivated by the stars on a cool night. He was never allowed to stay out for very long, and our go-to method for luring him back in was his favorite treats. You just had to shake the container and shout "TUNA TREATS!" My parents battled with forcing him to stay in, which was a fight that wasn't always won. We just wanted him to be safe. Boomer never ventured far. We would find him either in the back behind our gate or right outside the front door. That's where he was when the tragedy took place. Innocently asleep on our front door welcome mat with his paws crossed.
My mom and dad heard a ruckus outside the front door and discovered a pit bull and boxer-mix attacking our cat. They were out LEASH-LESS with no owner. My dad began to shout and tried beating them off with his fists, a shoe, then my mom handed him one of those grab-it sticks that hardly fazed the persistent dogs. My parents didn't have anything substantial in reach to use in defense. They never imagined needing anything for this. My dad said whenever he got one dog off Boomer, the other dog would latch onto Boomer and the free dog would lunge at my dad. It was a tag-team attack. Those dogs were on a mission to do severe harm, and they weren't going to stop until they were satisfied. In the end, my dad sustained injuries to his hand, leaving it swollen and bruised.
"Both the mom and daughter were laughing about the situation! The girl gave me the finger, and while my dad was in the ambulance, she was clapping like it was all a joke."
Finally, a teenage girl came out from the house across the street and dragged the dogs inside. My mom proceeded to wrap Boomer up in a blanket to rush him to the ER vet. Unfortunately, he didn't make it out of the driveway. Our beloved kitty passed away. The entire vicious attack was caught on my parent's ring doorbell camera.
I pulled up to my parent's house as they were on their way back from our vet. I waited in my own personal pain bubble, as sadness forced its way through me like an unrelenting tornado. The constable arrived right after my parents. He knocked on their door, but cowardly no one would answer, even though we both saw someone peeking through the blinds. The constable said that was illegal. Although, in the end, they weren't cited for it. About 20 minutes later, and after more police arrived, the teenage girl's mother drove up to discover they were house-sitting for the dogs' owners who were out of town. She stumbled over her "defense," accusing us of over exaggerating when she found out it was all caught on video. While showing her the footage, she announced something that shot a fire of anger through my veins. It was, "Well, It's just a cat!" she said. He was OUR cat!! They had zero remorse for what the dogs had done. Both the mom and daughter were laughing about the situation! The girl gave me the finger, and while my dad was in the ambulance, she was clapping like it was all a joke. We were not behaving in any threatening manner to deserve that heartless response.
The sitters were not ticketed for anything because they were not the owners. Plus, they claimed they didn't know how the dogs got out. Who cares how? The point is they were responsible for the dogs at the time, and therefore deserve to be held accountable for their illegal, irresponsible actions. We were advised to take them to court and file under the Dangerous Dog Act, so that's what we did.
"The judge was nice but he didn't read into our case. He didn't even look at the ring doorbell video. I thought I was in the twilight zone!"
The hearing for Boomer was on Valentine's Day, a celebration that will never be the same again. It's supposed to be a time of love and joy, instead it brought us pain and fear. The house-sitters were not present. Just the owners of the dogs, who brought an inconsiderate, cheeky lawyer. On our side, it was the three of us -- my mom, dad and myself -- and we brought our truth. With the judge's request, we discussed things privately to come up with an agreement. Of course, the dogs' owners were apologetic. Preaching it was out of the dogs' character, they're very sweet, trustworthy around kids, have never gotten out before and will not get loose again. They also apologized for the repulsive behavior the house-sitters inflicted, and said they would not be allowed to watch the dogs anymore. Their biggest concern was the dogs being declared dangerous. They would have to invest in some hefty extra fees and follow a lot of strict rules. For example, implanted microchips, having to be walked with a muzzle and a bright collar that says a "Dangerous Dog" on it. They must be on a leash at all times and be kept in an enclosed secure area preventing escape. In addition, they could not take the dogs to a public park.
The owners wanted to come up with a deal in exchange for my family to stop pursuing the case any further. This brings us into the final steps of justice for Boomer. My parents were contemplating moving from their home of 27 years, which was not their first choice. My mom just wants to feel safe and not have to worry when taking their dog Gizmo out. So they wanted to put up a wrought iron gated fence along their property. Their lawyer offered $1,500 the owners would pay towards a fence. I spoke up and said, "NO. That's pointless!" Suddenly, their lawyer was interested to know who I was!
My parents came back with a final offer, which also included paying for Boomer's cremation and the rabies shot my dad had to get. If they did not agree to take our final offer, my parents would move forward with the Dangerous Dog declaration. In conclusion, the dogs' owners took the deal. It wasn't much; Boomer is priceless. They got to bring their dogs home from a mandatory hold, while we went home to no Boom Boom. If you ask me, they got off incredibly lucky.
"I'm so furious that due to their careless actions of not properly containing the dogs, he will forever have that traumatic image in his head of this soul-crushing event."
My heart literally breaks for my dad. He is devastated. Boomer meant so much to him, and they had an incredible bond. He would lounge on his chest, watch TV together and nap. Wherever my dad was, his partner in crime followed. He could always put the biggest smile on my dad's face, especially when he needed it the most while recovering from his cancer treatments. I'm so furious that due to their careless actions of not properly containing the dogs, he will forever have that traumatic image in his head of this soul-crushing event. He will always think, and wish, there was more he could have done to save his best friend. Painfully there just wasn't. The heart wrenching part is that this was easily preventable. Boomer's story may be over now legally, but emotionally it's just beginning. We will miss you, and love you to infinity. To make heaven the perfect resting place for loved ones we adore, God made sure those pearly gates contained a kitty door.
-Megan Gravenstein
Family fights for Justice for Boomer after beloved cat is brutally killed by two unleashed dogs.
Despite the dramatic video footage of the attack, the true trauma, panic and helplessness to save Boomer experienced by Megan's parents are only partially witnessed. You hear more of this depth in Linda Gravenstein's voice when she talks about being afraid to go out to her own car after the attack. As Megan states, the legal aspect of Boomer's attack is now over, but the emotional parts are just beginning. "To be mauled to death like that. It's just not right," Ray said about Boomer.
Johana Villafane, 33, died after her own pit bulls attacked her in Irving, Texas.
Vet Issues Statement UPDATE 03/27/19: The veterinarian at O'Connor Animal Hospital, where Johana Villafane was brutally killed by her two pit bulls on March 23, and where the dogs had been staying in quarantine after a March 15 bite, has a released a statement. Dr. James Kang, DVM, stated Villafane's dogs were so aggressive his staff could not walk them and told Villafane the clinic could not keep her dogs due to their aggressive behavior, unless Villafane herself would walk them twice a day.
Dr. Kang's statement, however, must be weighed against another revelation. On Tuesday, London Pinder, a North Texas college student, told media outlets she was almost killed by a dog at the O'Connor Animal Hospital 15 months ago while working as an intern. A pit bull she was trying to put a leash on suddenly pinned her down and latched onto her neck. The dog nearly hit an artery. Pinder filed a dangerous dog report with Irving Police, but only got an apology from Dr. Kang.
Part of Dr. Kang's statement:
She brought 2 dogs for rabies quarantine in our office on March 18th 2019. I examined the 2 dogs at the time of admission. The male pit bull terrier was friendly, but the female pit bull terrier seemed to be scared as well as frightened. The next morning, our staff could not walk them in the backyard due to the dogs' aggressive behavior. We called the owner and told her that we could not keep her dogs in our hospital for quarantine due to their aggressive behavior, and the dogs will only be able to stay at our hospital unless she is able to walk them. Their family came to the office, twice a day, walking their dogs for a whole week without any incident.
Johana came into our office at 11am on Saturday, March 23rd 2019 to walk her two dogs.
She let them out in the backyard at 11:10am. We were very busy taking care of clients and patients all morning that we were unable to hear any noise or screaming that occurred in the backyard. One of our receptionists saw her laying in the grass in our backyard at 11:45am. She called 911 immediately for assistance. We were trying to reach her, trying to rescue her but were not successful because the two dogs were guarding her. Paramedics came in at 11:50am but could not get to her until the police arrived at 11:52am. The police discharged their weapons and shot the two dogs, then the paramedics attended to her and took her immediately to Parkland Emergency Hospital.
All parties involved in this sordid tale appear to be hopelessly clueless about dangerous aggression issues and the "select few" types of owners -- behaviorists, trainers and game dog breeders -- who could ever reliably manage such aggression. Villafane obviously did not fit the bill nor did any employee at Kang's animal hospital. Pinder, who was a teenager at the time, said staff members only had a "broom" available to fight off the pit bull that was clamped onto her neck.
911 Call Released
On April 1, CBS 11 published the 911 call made by an employee of the animal hospital. She states, "The dog bit her owner; she's on the floor." Over one minute into the call, the dispatcher is still trying to understand how urgent the call is. Finally, at 1:16 there is an indicator by the caller, "She's full of blood." At 2:25, dispatch asks, "What kind of dog is it?" She replies, "Pit bulls -- they're big." The dispatcher then realizes there are two pit bulls involved and wraps up the call.
CBS 11 reports there is surveillance video of the deadly pit bull attack. Police will not release the video due to its graphic nature, unless the Texas Attorney General requires it. A source also told CBS 11 the attack lasted 31 minutes before anyone at the animal hospital became aware of it. Now consider the statement by the caller again, "The dog bit her owner; she's on the floor." After a sustained mauling of 31 minutes by two pit bulls, Villafane would have been unrecognizable.
03/25/19: City Shelter At Capacity Because the Irving Animal Shelter was at capacity for quarantine space, Johana Villafane, 33, boarded her two pit bulls at an Irving animal hospital, where the dogs fatally attacked her during a visit Saturday. The city-operated shelter would not have allowed her to visit during quarantine, police said. Villafane died after being mauled by her two pit bulls at the O’Connor Animal Hospital in Irving. Her two pit bulls had been ordered into quarantine after biting a man eight days earlier.
On March 15, the dogs escaped their property and attacked a man in his 20s, Public Information Officer James McLellan said. That night Villafane met police and animal control officers at her home on Windmill Lane. She was issued citations for having dogs at large and for not having rabies tags, McLellan said. The bite required her dogs to be quarantined for a 10-day period. Because the Irving Animal Shelter was "at capacity," Villafane was provided other alternatives.
Neighbor Grant Dickey, who spoke out earlier, clarified the length of time Villafane and her family had moved in -- about a year earlier. Dickey said he had several encounters with her dogs since then, including when the dogs broke through his fencing (on a previous occasion) and pushed through his back door, which apparently was not latched fully. Dickey took this photo of his damaged back fence after the March 15 incident, which involved a young man being bitten.
The dogs were about a year old, according to Public Information Officer James McLellan. The dogs are described as a black-and-white male pit bull, named Oliver, and a brown-and-white female pit bull, named Delfina. The police description matches the two pit bulls seen on a family member's Facebook page. The severity of injuries inflicted on the man in his 20s remains unknown. The Facebook fund for Johana Villafane has exceeded $15,500 in two days.
Two pit bulls that killed their owner while in bite quarantine for an attack eight days earlier.
03/24/19: Previous Biting Incident New information has been release about the previous biting incident that caused both pit bulls to be ordered into quarantine. On Saturday, while 33-year old Johana Villafane was visiting her dogs in quarantine at a private animal hospital, the dogs fatally mauled her. The attack occurred when Villafane took them for a walk in an enclosed area behind the building. The first biting incident involved her pit bulls eating through a neighbor's fence and escaping into the neighborhood.
"A whole bunch of police and animal control people showed up to my house," Grant Dickey said. "They had seen the pit bulls going in and out of the hole that they made in my back fence and asked me if they were my dogs," Dickey said. "I said 'no, it's the neighbor's dogs. They broke through into my yard earlier.' And they said, 'well they bit somebody when they got out." Dickey said the dogs were "friendly, but aggressively friendly if you will. Jumping on you," Dickey said.
It is unknown who the first bite victim is or the severity of injuries the person suffered. Villafane's pair of pit bulls was a male and female. Previously, Public Information Officer James McLellan told WBAP the female pit bull was pregnant and attacked along with the male. Neighbor Rick Warner stated Saturday that Villafane and her family were new to the neighborhood on Windmill Lane. In 2018, 25% of all fatal attacks involved a dog or person new to a household (0-2 month period).
03/23/19: Pit Bulls Kill Their Owner Irving, TX - A woman is dead after being attacked by her own pit bulls outside of an animal hospital. Police officers shot and killed the dogs. Johana Natalie Villafane, 33, was transported to Parkland Hospital in Dallas, where she later died. The attack occurred outside of O'Conner Animal Hospital, where the dogs were being held in quarantine after a bite earlier this week, Irving Police said. Animal hospital staff allowed Villafane to visit the dogs while they were in quarantine.
Animal hospital staff told police the pit bulls attacked her when she took them for a walk in an enclosed area behind the building, reports NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. An employee found her unresponsive with severe dog bite injuries. The dogs would not let animal hospital staff, fire or police officials near the victim. Police were forced to fire on the dogs, killing them. Irving police confirmed both dogs were pit bulls. Police are characterizing the attack as a "tragic accident."
The attack occurred about 11:45 am Saturday. Fox 4 News spoke to Irving Police Officer David Dickinson. "The dogs were involved in an incident earlier in the month in which they bit someone," Dickinson said. "They were here at the animal hospital being quarantined per regulations. She was attending to the dogs, coming up to the dogs, and it’s my understanding that she was walking the dogs when the event occurred." We expect significant news coverage in the coming days.
Previous Biting Incident
Police have not released details about the previous biting incident, but neighbors offered clues. Rick Warner, who lives down the street from Villafane, said he saw a marked Animal Services vehicle at Villafane's house recently. "Lights were flashing the entire time it was down there," Warner said. "We didn't know why, we didn't ask why, we didn't go down to find out why." Neighbors said Villafane and her family were new to the neighborhood on Windmill Lane.
Multiple news reports state the pair of pit bulls was a male and female. The Public Information Officer for Irving Police, James McLellan, told WBAP the female pit bull was pregnant and attacked with the male. Investigators will be looking into how long the pit bulls had been part of the family and whether they were adopted or raised from puppies. Villafane was a wife and mother of two children. A photograph on her husband's Facebook page shows the two family pit bulls.
Irving Police Officer David Dickinson gives press conference after pit bulls killed their owner.
Johana Villafane died after her pit bulls attacked her during quarantine for a previous bite.
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.
Jaysiah Chavez, 2-years old, was killed by two roaming rottweilers in Fresno.
Child Identified UPDATE 03/25/19: A young boy killed by two roaming rottweilers in Fresno on Friday has been identified. Jaysiah Chavez, 2-years old, was attacked by the dogs while alone in front of his home about 11:00 am. His grandmother rushed outside to save him and was also bitten. The boy's grandfather was able to stop the attack by hitting the dogs with a pipe hose. The dogs were located a few blocks away and taken into custody. Earlier reports said the boy was one-year old.
The rottweilers escaped through a gaping hole under the owner's fencing. Theresa Davis, who lives next to the rottweilers, said the dogs had a history of digging themselves out. Davis told ABC 13 she discovered the newest hole a few days ago. She said she repeatedly voiced her concerns and even placed a garbage can over the newest hole. Davis said she had called animal control in the past. Central California SPCA said they have no record of complaints on the dogs' owners.
03/22/19: Police Press Conference Fresno, CA - A 1-year old boy is dead after being attacked by two rottweilers in southeast Fresno. His grandmother was injured trying to save the boy. About 11:00 am Friday, police responded to a home in the 5900 block of East Kaviland Avenue. Officers found the boy in critical condition and began CPR on the child. He was transported to Community Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to Lt. Mark Hudson with the Fresno Police Department.
The investigation determined the boy wandered out of the family's home and into the front yard where the rottweilers attacked him. Other children in the home alerted the grandmother. She rushed outside and saw the two dogs attacking the boy. When she tried to get the dogs off the boy, the rottweilers attacked her, Hudson said during a press conference Friday. The boy's grandfather was able to get the dogs off the boy and his grandmother. The dogs then fled, Hudson said.
"It took the grandfather also coming out of the house to hit these dogs with the hose to get them to release the child." - Lt. Mark Hudson
The dogs were captured and taken into custody by the SPCA. Police continue to look for the owners of the two roaming rottweilers. "We do have officers in the neighborhood right now knocking on doors, seeing if anyone knows of these two dogs," Hudson said. Fox 26 reports the owner of the rottweilers was later located and relinquished ownership of the animals. Both dogs will be euthanized Friday afternoon. The owner said the dogs "dug under the fence" to get out.
Rottweiler Owner's Property
Footage from ABC 13 shows the property where rottweilers lived and a gaping hole under the owner's fencing. Investigators say the dogs dug a hole under the fence Friday morning, ran through a neighbor's yard, crossed Sunnyside and ended up in the front yard of the 1-year old boy. Theresa Davis, the next-door neighbor of the owner of the rottweilers, recognized the dogs on TV right away. "These dogs have been in our neighborhood for eight or nine years," Davis said.
Davis told ABC 13 the dogs have a history of digging themselves out. "Primarily on the back fence. They've come out the side gate of this property. And then recently, we discovered that hole a couple of days ago," Davis said. Fresno animal control claims they have no record of complaints on the rottweilers' owners. Davis said she repeatedly voiced her concerns; she even placed a garbage can over the recent gaping hole. Davis said she had called animal control in the past.
No criminal charges are pending against the rottweilers' owners. Because in Fresno, it's acceptable for a pair of large dogs -- rottweilers no less -- to repeatedly dig out from under a fence, roam the neighborhood and maul and kill a child who is in its own yard. Central California SPCA (CCSPCA), who provides animal control services to the city, told ABC 13 the owners have agreed "not to adopt" or to have any dog "that is considered dangerous" for the next three years.
ABC 13 footage shows a gaping hole under the owners fence where the rottweilers escaped.
The pair of rottweilers seen in quarantine after killing a 1-year old boy in Fresno, California.
A small memorial for Jaysiah Chavez, who was mauled to death by two roaming rottweilers.
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.
Jimmy Lee Grigg, 53, died after being attacked by three dogs near Santa Fe, Texas.
Cause of Death UPDATE 03/20/19: Jimmy Grigg died of blood loss from the dog attack, confirmed Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochessett to the Alvin Sun Wednesday. Trochessett received confirmation last Friday about the cause of death. Jimmy lived on the same property in the 5600 block of Highland Road with several other family members. The Griggs have owned the property for decades, reports The Sun. Jimmy died en route to Mainland Medical Center on March 13.
A relative who lives on the multi-home Grigg property owns (is caretaker of) the dogs that killed Jimmy. The dogs were formerly described as "cattle dog-mixes." The Sun reports new information, including that at least one of the dogs is a mastiff-mix, which lines up with our research on family member's dogs potentially living on the property at that time. No one mistakes a "cattle dog-mix" for a "mastiff-pit bull mix."1 At least, no official who is trying to be honest with the public does.
Jimmy Grigg was a central plant operator for Moody Gardens. "Jimmy loved fishing, kayaking, playing dominos, pool, cards and working in his mancave. He LOVED life," states his obituary. "Jimmy was loved by everyone and will be sadly missed, but we will always carry his memory in our hearts." Services for Jimmy were held Wednesday at Emken-Linton Funeral Home in Texas City, Texas. Sheriff Trochessett said the investigation into Jimmy's mauling death is ongoing.
03/14/19: Relative's Dogs Kill Man Santa Fe, TX - A man died Wednesday after being attacked by three dogs belonging to a relative. The attack occurred in the 5600 block of Highland Road in the unincorporated area of Santa Fe in western Galveston County. Police responded to the home after a 911 call by the victim's brother at 3:50 pm, saying his brother had been attacked by the dogs and could be dead. Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset offered few details to news media outlets in an interview Wednesday.
"He was picked up by EMS, CPR in progress, and was transported to the hospital," Trochesset said, "where he was later pronounced deceased." Trochesset said the breed of dogs is currently "unknown," but the dogs belonged to a relative. "It's a tragic situation for the family," Trochesset said. The Galveston County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate. The victim's identity has not been released by police. The Galveston County Animal Resource Center confiscated the dogs.
Fox 26 spoke to Katie Ewing, a neighbor. "How do you even let that happen, honestly? Were the dogs not in a pen or what?" Ewing said she filed several complaints with animal control prior to the fatal mauling. "Every morning for a good month straight it sounded like there was like dog fights going on," Ewing said. Whenever animal control would come out the property, they would say, "Oh, it looks all normal to me," Ewing said. "It's all really sad. My prayers are with them," she said.
A subsequent news report identified the victim as 53-year old Jimmy Lee Grigg. The dogs are also being described as "cattle dog-mixes." There were two males and one female. The Galveston County paper, The Daily News, reports that Sheriff Trochesset is not yet prepared to say whether the dogs killed the man, or if Grigg suffered some type of medical episode before the attack. It's unclear if sheriff's investigators have been able to interview family members since the attack.
A Galveston County Animal Resource Center truck at the scene of the fatal dog mauliing.
1Roy Gerald Grigg III (the third), a nephew of the victim, was the original owner of the mastiff-pit bull mix that we link to. He was incarcerated at the Galveston County jail at the time of the attack and still is (Case # 18-CR-2111). He has been incarcerated at the facility multiple times since 2015. He apparently also owns a second pit bull-mix. His address on prison records is listed as, 5637 Highland Rd. There have been "multiple" fatal dog attack cases in the past where an incarcerated person's dog(s) killed a person while under the caretaking of another party. We can't confirm that his dogs were involved in this fatal attack. So for now, this remains a footnote.
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.
View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: Nevada Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.
Jesse Thomas Beasley was born in Savannah, Georgia. He graduated from Armstrong State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Administration before moving to New Orleans, Louisiana to attend law school. Jesse's law practice focuses on public interest advocacy, including representing indigent clients in both civil and criminal proceedings, often on a pro bono basis. 
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