Posted on June 30, 2022 by Colleen Lynn

Fatal Rottweiler Attacks - The Archival Record from 1978 to December 2024

An archive of children and adults killed by rottweilers from 1978 to 2024.

DogsBite.org - Combining DogsBite.org dog bite fatality statistics with research provided by a volunteer produced a significant archival collection of fatal rottweiler attacks dating back to 1978. Of the 132 victims recorded from 1978 to December 31, 2024, 75% (99) were children ages 11-years and younger. Of these children, over two-thirds, 71% (70), were ages 4-years and younger. California sustained the most fatal rottweiler attacks (17) during this 47-year period, followed by Texas (14).

The chart shows the difference between child (0-11 years) and adult (≥17 years) deaths inflicted by rottweilers. The chart also shows that fatal rottweiler attacks peaked from 1995 to 1999. Over the entire period, most of these attacks 58%, involved a single rottweiler, followed by a pair of them, 24%, typically a breeding pair. Combined, 82% of these attacks were inflicted by a single or pair of rottweilers during this 47-year period. Rottweilers are the second most lethal dog breed in the US.

US fatal rottweiler attacks 1978 to 2024

U.S. fatal rottweiler attacks in 5-year periods between 1980 and 2024 by DogsBite.org.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: U.S. Fatal Rottweiler Attacks By State

12/08/24: Amelia Yu, 5-years old (Covina, CA)
Killed in a dog attack involving two family rottweilers
07/29/24: Adaya Fisher, 2-years old (Houston, TX)
Killed by three rottweilers inside her babysitter's home
07/06/24: Adult John Doe, 87-years old (Houston, TX)
Killed by a dog pack involving two rottweiler-mixes
10/08/23: Jessica Wauters, 59-years old (Tomball, TX)
Killed by her pet rottweiler in the backyard of her home
01/21/23: Kellan Boner, 7-years old (Fort Hall Reservation, ID)
Killed by a pack of dogs, at least two being rottweilers
06/03/22: Debbie Boyd, 70-years old (Sevier County, TN)
Killed by two pet rottweilers inside her home
01/29/22: Olivia Floyd, 7-years old (Waynesboro, VA)
Killed by step-grandfather's neutered rottweiler
09/02/21: Sally Rogers, 91-years old (Bloomfield Township, MI)
Killed by rottweiler while living at the home of her daughter
08/10/21: Ryan Foster, 19-months old (Brooklyn, NY)
Killed by grandparent's rottweiler that was used for "security"
05/25/21: Malia Scott Winberry, 10-months old (Johnston County, NC)
Killed by her family's pair of "fixed" rottweilers "with papers"
05/09/21: Elliott Sherwin, 4-years old (Jefferson County, MT)
Killed by two rottweilers while visiting his grandparents' home
10/01/19: Steven Thornton III, 3-years old (Louisville, KY)
Killed by two rottweilers after falling from window into backyard
08/30/19: Adrieanna O'Shea, 19-years old (Knox County, TN)
Killed by a pack dogs involving a rottweiler
04/27/19: Kyna DeShane, 15-months old (Henderson, NV)
Killed by rottweiler while visiting her grandfather's home
03/22/19: Jaysiah Chavez, 2-years old (Fresno, CA)
Killed by two roaming rottweilers that dug out of owner's yard
12/10/18: Esta Currier, 73-years old (Robeson County, NC)
Killed by brother's four rottweilers; also hospitalized two children
05/05/18: Gaia Nova, 3-months old (Los Angeles, CA)
Killed by family rottweiler while under care of grandmother
06/09/17: Marcos Raya, Jr., 18-months old (Phoenix, AZ)
Killed by father's rottweiler, a family dog of three years
08/19/16: Michael Downing, 83-years old (Jacksonville, FL)
Killed in attack involving neighbor's rottweiler and mixed-offspring
05/09/16: Antoinette Brown, 52-years old (Dallas, TX)
Killed by a pack dogs involving a rottweiler
11/12/15: Anthony Riggs, 57-years old (Madison County, TN)
Killed by a rottweiler adopted out three hours earlier1
07/24/15: Carolyn Lamp, 67-years old (Redbird, OK)
Killed by a pack of dogs, at least one being a rottweiler
05/24/15: Anthony Wind, 26-years old (Rochester, NY)
Mauled by his alleged seizure "assistance" rottweiler at time of death
03/12/15: Betty Wood, 78-years old (Sulphur Springs, TX)
Killed by her pet rottweiler of 5 years
12/06/14: Christopher Camejo, 2-years old (Citrus County, FL)
Killed by up to four of his grandfather's rottweilers
10/24/14: Logan Meyer, 7-years old (Dodge County, WI)
Killed by step-father's "protection" trained rottweiler2
05/04/14: Nyhiem Wilfong, 1-year old (Caldwell County, NC)
Killed by his grandfather's chained rottweiler
01/26/14: Annabell Martin, 89-years old (Corona, CA)
Killed by her grandson's three rottweilers
07/01/13: Linda Oliver, 63-years old (Dayton, TX)
Killed by a rottweiler-mix she began caring for
11/09/12: Dixie Jennings, 3-months old (Yadkinville, NC)
Killed by her grandmother's rottweiler
09/20/12: William "Don" Thomas, 82-years old (Leeds, AL)
Killed by his neighbor's two rottweilers
03/09/12: Dylan Andres, 17-months old (Jacksonsville, FL)
Killed by neighbor's chained rottweiler
08/12/11: James Dowling, 4-years old (Ozark, AR)
Killed by grandfather's pet rottweiler
04/12/11: Annabelle Mitchell, 7-months old (Frankfort, ME)
Killed by family rottweiler named "Hannibal"
03/06/11: Vanessa Husmann, 3-years old (Hopkinton, IA)
Killed by grandfather's AKC champion breeding rottweilers
02/17/11: Sirlinda Hayes, 66-years old (Dillon County, SC)
Killed by cousin's two rottweilers; cousin suffered leg amputation
12/19/10: Jeannette Vaughn, 3-months old (Harris County, TX)
Killed by family rottweiler that broke into house
06/15/10: Michael Winters, 30-years old (Henrietta Township, OH)
Killed by a pack of dogs, at least one being a rottweiler
03/08/10: Justin Lopez, 9-months old (Lincoln County, OK)
Killed by two newly adopted rottweilers on tribal land
02/28/10: Ashlynn Anderson, 4-years old (Svensen, OR)
Killed by stepfather's female rottweiler
12/12/09: Dallas Lee Walters, 20-months old (New Port Richey, FL)
Killed by great-aunt's rottweiler at Birthday party
01/19/09: Brianna Shanor, 8-years old (Hanover Township, PA)
Killed by guardian's chained rottweiler
01/16/09: Brooklynn Milburn, 3-years old (Fort Worth, TX)
Killed by neighbor's 17-year old rottweiler
01/11/09: Alex Angulo, 4-years old, (Chicago, IL)
Killed by foster family's rottweiler
09/12/07: Kylie Cox, 4-months old (Warren, MI)
Killed by rottweiler while visiting a home
07/12/07: Tiffany Pauley, 5-years old (Carrolton, GA)
Killed by neighbor's chained rottweiler
01/28/07: Taylor Kitlica, 18-months old (Brewton, AL)
Killed by chained rottweiler in front yard
01/24/07: Matthew Johnson, 6-years old (Richmond, VA)
Killed by newly adopted rottweiler
11/13/06: James Eisaman, 40-years old (Akron, OH)
Killed by girlfriend's two rottweilers
11/06/06: Luis Romero Jr., 2-years old (Drexel Heights, AZ)
Killed by family's two rottweilers
11/03/06: Ariel Pogue, 2-years old (Camp Hill, AL)
Killed by family rottweiler
10/03/06: Julius Graham, 2-years old (Snowhill, NC)
Killed by neighbor's rottweiler
06/22/06: Gemma Carlos, 2-years old (Horizon, TX)
Killed by neighbor's rottweiler
03/20/06: Quillan Cottrell, 3-years old (Jameson, MO)
Killed by step-uncle's rottweiler
02/24/06: Dominic Giordano, 4-years old (Ulm, MT)
Killed by relative's rottweiler
01/09/06: Ashton Scott, 11-months old (Childress, TX)
Killed by family rottweiler
10/15/05: Sydney Akin, 6-years old (Rochelle, GA)
Killed by rottweiler while visiting horse farm
08/02/05: Cassandra Garcia, 16-months old (Glendale, CA)
Killed by grandparent's rottweiler
05/02/05: Asia Turner, 4-years old (Spartanburg, SC)
Killed by two newly acquired rottweilers
03/15/05: Sandra Sanchez, 32-years old (Harris County, TX)
Killed by landlord's two rottweilers
03/10/05: Robert Schafer, 4-years old (Orange County, VA)
Killed by family rottweiler-mix
03/30/04: Leta Ward, 65-years old (Bakersfield, CA)
Killed by male pet rottweiler
03/30/04: Samuel Truck, 2-years old (Munford, TN)
Killed by family's two rottweiler-mixes
08/03/03: Samantha Bauld, 3-years old (Saronville, NE)
Killed by aunt and uncle's rottweiler
03/27/03: Wesley Swindler, 3-years old (Callaway County, MO)
Killed by family rottweiler
03/26/03: Vivian Anthony, 54-years old (Columbus, OH)
Killed by Dr. Matthew Crawley's rottweiler
03/16/03: Lily Krajewski, 2-years old (Clarion, PA)
Killed by two rottweilers while visiting grandmother's home
03/07/03: Jennifer Davis, 7-years old (Joshua Tree, CA)
Killed by two rottweilers while entering yard
10/10/02: Jane Doe, 23-months old (Kennesaw, GA)
Killed by family's two chained rottweilers
04/19/02: Victoria Morales, 5-years old (Monterrey County, CA)
Killed by grandmother's "prize-winning" rottweiler
02/14/02: Alicia Clark, 10-years old (Elroy, WI)
Killed by six rottweilers belonging to her best friend's family
02/07/02: Genoe Novach, 6-years old (Tehama County, CA)
Killed by neighbor's pair of "pug-rottweiler" mixes
12/01/01: Tristan Gambrel, 3-years old (Birmingham, AL)
Killed by three rottweilers while visiting a home
10/29/01: Kristin Jolley, 1-year old (Lovell, WY)
Killed by neighbor's chained rottweiler
08/21/01: Sierra Clayton, 3-years old (Englewood, IL)
Killed by rottweiler in front of her siblings and mother
06/09/01: Kyle Ross, 5-years old (Springfield, MA)
Killed by foster-mother's rottweiler
04/30/01: Javonne King, 1-month old (Chicago, IL)
Killed by family rottweiler
03/06/01: Joshua Brown, 3-years old (Whitley County, KY)
Killed by family rottweiler
02/03/00: Justin Tabner, 5-years old (Barrow County, GA)
Killed by chained rottweiler
11/04/99: Jessica Bice, 3-years old (Crittenden County, AR)
Killed by house-mate's rottweiler3
10/02/99: Mickey Oakes, 3-years old (Louisville, KY)
Killed by pack of dogs, at least two being rottweilers
09/20/99: Michael Lewis, 10-years old (Baton Rouge, LA)
Killed by family's two rottweilers
08/07/99: Nicolas Bildeau, 6-years old (Siren, WI)
Killed by family rottweiler
03/27/99: Darrel Roberson, 42-years old (Tulsa, OK)
Killed by two loose rottweilers
01/02/99: Alexander Samon, 8-years old (Decatur, IL)
Killed by two rottweilers
11/03/98: Landon Lower, 21-months old (Hot Springs, AR)
Killed by grandmother's rottweiler
10/18/98: Hope Moore, 2-years old (Lowndes County, GA)
Killed by loose rottweiler while walking with her grandmother
09/16/98: Susan Meller, 75-years old (San Marcos, CA)
Killed by own three guard dog trained rottweilers
08/17/98: Kimela Foster, 38-years old (Columbus, OH)
Killed by car while fleeing two loose rottweilers
06/13/98: Austin Cussins, 1-year old (Lakewood, CO)
Killed by family rottweiler-mix
12/26/97: Dakota "Cody" Randolph, 3-years old (Tunnel Hill, GA)
Killed by two rottweilers belonging to mother's boyfriend
12/25/97: April Edwards, 5-years old (Attalla, AL)
Killed by family's three rottweilers on Christmas morning
10/09/97: Cheryl Floyd, 17-years old (Lampasas County, TX)
Killed by neighbor's great dane and two rottweiler-mix dogs
09/12/97: Kristine Castillo, 8-months old (Lakewood, CA)
Killed by rottweiler while visiting aunt's home
07/30/97: John Doe, 17-months old (Nevada County, CA)
Killed by by aunt's pet rottweiler
07/10/97: Melba Adams, 87-years old (Visalia, CA)
Killed by neighbor's rottweiler
04/24/97: Christopher Wilson, 11-years old (Geary County, KS)
Killed by three loose rottweilers while waiting for school bus4
04/11/97: Corey McLaughlin, 4-years old (Fayetteville, NC)
Killed by grandfather's rottweiler
01/02/97: Andre Theriault, 3-months old (Livermore, CA)
Killed by babysitter's rottweiler
10/31/96: Corey Hines, 10-years old (Lake Wales, FL)
Killed by neighbor's six loose rottweilers
07/19/96: John Young, 8-years old (Oakland, CA)
Killed by two neighborhood rottweilers
07/10/96: Kasandra Duval, 21-months old (Springfield, MO)
Killed by neighbor's rottweiler
07/04/96: Matthew Pedercini, 1-year old (Orange, MA)
Killed by rottweiler white attending Fourth of July cookout
03/22/96: Billy Malstan, 1-month old (Desert Hot Springs, CA)
Killed by family rottweiler while sleeping
03/08/96: Mattie Drake, 86-years old (Lauderdale County, TN)
Killed by two rottweilers owned by neighbor
02/06/96: Anthony Hunt, 4-years old (Jacksonville, FL)
Killed by family rottweiler and German shepherd
11/19/95: Alec Balbachan, 5-years old (Hartford, CT)
Killed by uncle’s two rottweilers
10/10/95: Melton Smith, 60-years old (Greene County, NC)
Killed by three rottweilers
05/24/95: Kirby Lawrence, 2-years old (Ocala, FL)
Killed by chained rottweiler
05/19/95: Robert Thorpe, 11-years old (Connellsville, PA)
Killed by pack of dogs led by a rottweiler5
10/23/94: Kayla Lee, 5-years old (Northglenn, CO)
Killed by rottweiler "on loan" for protection
09/30/94: Johnny Miller, 3-years old (Oklahoma City, OK)
Killed while playing with relative's rottweiler-mix
09/30/94: Gerlessa Russell, 4-years old (Tulsa, OK)
Killed while playing with family friend's rottweiler
08/31/94: Sonjya Mars, 21-months old (Midwest City, OK)
Killed by rottweiler while visiting owner's home
03/07/94: Heide Dohrn-Cribb, 5-years old (Renton, WA)
Killed by neighbor's two female rottweilers
02/04/94: Martha Pope, 75-years old (Chicago, IL)
Killed by son-in-law's two rottweilers
01/08/94: Amarillys Torres, 2-months old (Tampa, FL)
Killed by family rottweiler
12/15/93: Ursula Petzinger, 53-years old (Elizabethtown, KY)
Killed saving grandson from two female family rottweilers
11/27/93: Dusty Patterson, 5-years old (Desoto, TX)
Killed by family rottweiler kept for breeding purposes
11/08/93: Sasha Brown, 4-months old (Chicago, IL)
Killed by a new rottweiler purchased for "protection"
08/11/93: Reggie Miller, 6-years old (Kansas City, KS)
Killed by two rottweilers while riding toy tractor
07/23/93: Louise Gantt, 65-years old (Richland County, SC)
Killed by own rottweiler purchased for protection
05/14/93: Billy Sheppard Jr., 2-years old (Long Island, NY)
Killed by rottweiler where mother was babysitting
06/20/92: Daniel Worley, 6-years old (Fairview, NC)
Killed by family rottweiler
02/23/92: Jonathon Williams, 7-years old (Mauldin, SC)
Killed by rottweiler while searching for its owner
11/06/91: Raymond Gosh, 86-years old (Chester County, SC)
Killed by loose dogs including rottweilers
10/20/89: Hoke Prevette Jr., 20-years old (Winston Salem, NC)
Killed by two rottweilers while jogging
05/02/88: Melissa Boyse, 16-months old (Kent, WA)
Killed by family rottweiler
09/27/87: Shannon Tucker, 2-years old (Columbus, OH)
Killed by rottweiler and pit bull
10/31/85: Santina Saba, 1-month old (Suffolk County, MA)
Killed by three family rottweilers
09/03/83: Cara Rognaldson, 1-month old (Dallas, TX)
Killed by family rottweiler
01/24/78: Vincent Madrigal, 1-year old (St. Helena, CA)
Killed by two rottweilers known to him6

1Of the 104 rottweiler fatalities we have on record (from 1978 through 2015), not a single one besides this dog inflicted a fatal attack on an able-bodied middle-aged man. The others involved "pairs" or more of rottweilers. This male rottweiler was adopted by the victim just hours earlier from Jackson-Madison County Rabies Control.
2Killed by his step-father's IPO 2 (Level 2 Schutzhund title) protection trained rottweiler.
3Sheriff's investigator Jason Oliver, angry over the child's grisly death, said that rottweilers and children don't mix and that people living with vicious dogs and children "need to use that lump 3 feet above their ass."
4The dogs' owner, Sabine Davidson was convicted of reckless second-degree murder and endangering a child. At the time of the attack, Davidson was training her rottweilers in Schutzhund protection work (bite work).
5In revenge of Robert Thorpe's mauling death, the boy's father and two cousins set the dog owner's mobile home on fire. After igniting gasoline soaked cloths inside the home, exploding ammunition "sounded like a war zone." The two cousins barely escaped the burning building with their lives. All three were later charged with arson.
6The self-published Fatal Dog Attacks book describes the dog that killed Lindsay Shanaman, 2-years old of Canon City, Colorado in April of 1995, as a "GSD/Rott X." The single media report that we could locate from the Colorado Springs Gazette, describes the dog as a 120-pound "mastiff-German shepherd mix." The 20-year CDC study reflects 11 rottweiler or rottweiler-mix deaths between 1995 and 1996, as does our rottweiler archival list.

Posted on June 22, 2022 by Colleen Lynn

2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Dies After Amputations Due to Violent Dog Attack in Unincorporated Harris County

Nicolas Vasquez died after suffering multiple amputations due to a severe dog attack.

Owner Charged
UPDATE 06/28/22: The owner of three dogs involved in a brutal attack that killed a man has been charged under the Texas felony dog attack statute. Matthew Leroy Satchell, 32, has been charged with felony dog attack after his three loose dogs, all pit bull-mixes, attacked 51-year old Nicolas Vasquez. A neighbor found Vasquez in a ditch on June 9, severely injured and moaning after trying to fight off the dogs. Vasquez underwent multiple limb amputations before dying on June 19.

Residents said the dogs had a history of roaming at large and being aggressive. "The message is that you are responsible for the conduct of your dogs if you are not properly restraining them," said Lindsey Bondurant, Chief Prosecutor of the Animal Cruelty Section at the Harris County District Attorney's Office. "So, if your dog attacks someone in the severe manner like we have here, you're held responsible, if there's something you could have done to prevent this," Bondurant said.

Charging Documents

Charging documents include statements by neighbors about previous acts of aggression by Satchell's dogs while at large towards humans and dogs. Satchell also positively identified his dogs as "Brownie," "Oreo" and "Donut" when shown photographs of the dogs. Satchell told deputies, his dogs "are not aggressive unless a person comes into his yard." Deputies reviewed surveillance video provided by Satchell that did not show anyone entering his yard, "however, you can hear what appears to be a male screaming for help on the video," state court documents.

Deputies located a hole under the perimeter of Satchell's fence. The "bottom footer of the fence had a dried red substance," which deputies believed to be blood. "The hole under the fence had woodsticks and a branch trying to cover it from being used by the dogs," state court documents. "The sticks and a branch were clearly insufficient to prevent animals from entering or exiting the fence." Two photographs of the hole in the fence were attached to the affidavit as exhibits.

Multiple neighbors told deputies the dogs were routinely outside of the owner's fence. One neighbor stated that on May 28, 2022 the three dogs escaped the property and attacked her dog in the neck while her two children, 15 and 12, were walking their dog. Another neighbor said her son was chased by the dogs while riding his bike several times. A third neighbor said she had to use her vehicle to get between the three dogs and a man they were chasing on May 15, 2022.

Multiple neighbors also spoke to the owner about the dogs being at large prior to the June 9 attack. Both said the owner, Matthew Satchell, "did not seem to care about the dogs being out chasing people" or seem to care about their complaints. Detectives also spoke to the U.S. Postal carrier who delivers to Satchell's home. "She advised she never delivers packages to the door at 1405 Harvard Road because the dogs are always outside the fence," state court documents.

Civil Lawsuit Filed

Harris County court records also show that the estate of Vasquez filed a civil claim against Matthew Satchell and Tabatha Satchell after the vicious attack. "At all times relative hereto, Defendants were the owner of a certain animals, to wit: three large pit bulls," states the amended Complaint, filed two days after his death. The causes of action include negligence and wrongful death. The plaintiff seeks general and special damages of over $200,000 but under $1 million.

8. At all times relative hereto, Defendants were the owner of a certain animals, to wit: three large Pitbulls.

9. On or about June 9, 2022, Plaintiff was walking home from the grocery store when Defendants’ dogs ran out of Defendants’ home and charged Plaintiff at full speed. Defendants’ dogs violently lunged toward Plaintiff, causing serious injuries to his person.

10. Plaintiff was left in a ditch outside of Defendants’ residence after he was mauled by their dogs and has since been incapacitated. - Vasquez v. Satchell No. 2022-36564

06/22/22: Man Dies of Mauling Injuries
Huffman, TX - A man died Sunday after being attacked by three loose dogs on June 9 in northeastern Harris County. Before his death, doctors were forced to amputate both of his lower legs. Calvin Stoy, a neighbor, heard dogs barking and the moans of a man just after 9:00 pm. Stoy found Nicolas Vasquez, 51, lying in a ditch off Havard Road. "Both legs were torn up bad, hands and arms. He had bites on his head. He was in really bad shape. He lost a lot of blood," Stoy said.

A GoFundMe was established for Vasquez, who was known by friends as "Mickey." On the night of June 9, "Mickey was brutally attacked and almost eaten alive by 3 aggressive dogs as he was on his way home from the neighborhood corner store as he’s done for years," states the fund's organizer. "As a result of this dog attack he’s lost both of his legs, currently on life support fighting for his life in the ICU, waiting for a liver transplant due to organ failure," states the fundraiser.

A June 21 update indicated that Mickey had passed away. According to his sister-in-law, Maria Castillo, this was the second time the same dogs attacked Vasquez this month. Harris County Animal Control seized all three dogs. The Harris County Sheriff's Office reported they found a hole in the owner's fence and the dogs had blood on them. Four days later, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez asked the public for help with the investigation of Nicolas Vasquez's vicious dog attack in a Tweet.

@HCSOTexas needs your help with the investigation of a dog attack of Nicolas Vasquez. Mr. Vasquez was attacked by three dogs on Thursday June 9, 2022 and is in critical condition. The attack occurred at the intersection of Havard Road and Knoll Lane in Huffman. 1/2. If you or anyone you know has had any interaction with the dogs or the dog owners please contact Deputy Turner with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crime Unit. 2/2 - Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, June 13, 2022

A person on the Huffman-Talk Facebook group announced his death on June 19. Kelly Vasquez, the victim's niece, told KRIV that by the time Stoy found her uncle lying in the ditch, "[the dogs] pretty much were eating him at that point." Vasquez suffered bite injuries all over his body. After both lower legs were amputated, doctors had to amputate one of his arms too, she said. "His body couldn’t take it anymore," she said. Kelly's mother, Castillo, hopes for "justice from the law."

By June 20, news reports indicated that one dog belonged to one neighbor and the other two dogs belonged to a different neighbor. It was the latter pair of dogs that had bitten Vasquez on the ankle less than two months earlier. Stoy and Kelly said the dogs had a history of chasing people and being aggressive. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said that investigators will meet with the Harris County District Attorney's Office to determine if any of the dogs' owners will be charged.

By June 21, one of the dogs began being identified as a Labrador-mix. Despite neighbors saying these dogs had been an ongoing problem, Harris County officials said they had no previous reports on the dogs. In 2020, Veterinary World published a study of risk factors for dog bites in unincorporated Harris County, which includes Huffman. Pit bulls had the greatest frequency of bites (25.07%), and the greatest frequency of severe injuries (49.57%), the study found.

There were 6683 dog bites reported to HCVPH between the years of 2013 and 2016, with stable incidence rates over time. The incidence was highest for both children and older adults. Dogs with the primary breed of Pit Bull had the greatest frequency of bites (25.07%), with the second highest breed being Labrador Retrievers (13.72%)...

Dog sex, dog breed, and confinement status were all found to be significant predictors of severe injury in the multivariate logistic model ... Pit Bulls had the greatest frequency of severe injuries (49.57%), followed by Labrador Retrievers (12.92%) and German Shepherds (7.69%). The odds of a severe injury by a Pit Bull is 213% higher than the odds for dogs of all other breeds (excluding German Shepherd and Labrador Retriever)....

Nicolas Vasquez, multiple amputations, pit bull attack

Two of the dogs involved in the death of Nicolas Vasquez in unincorporated Harris County.

The third dog involved in the death of Nicolas Vasquez in unincorporated Harris County.

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

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 June 16, 2022 by Colleen Lynn

2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Person Killed by Pack of Dogs on the Hopi Reservation in the Village of Hotevilla, Arizona

In mid-June, a person was killed by a pack of dogs on the Hopi Reservation.

Media Release
Village of Hotevilla, AZ - Another person has been killed by a pack of dogs on a U.S. Indian reservation. The fatal dog mauling occurred last weekend on the Hopi Reservation, which constitutes a land area of 2.5 thousand square miles and is surrounded entirely by the Navajo Nation. This death occurred less than two weeks after we published about this issue: Escalating Fatal Dog Maulings on Tribal Lands - Have Covid-19 Conditions Been a Contributing Factor?

"This latest attack is one of several over the past few months that include dog bites, amputation, and in this latest case, injuries so severe they lead to the victim's death," states a June 13 release by the Hopi Tribe's Department of Public Safety and Emergency Services. Tribal officials will not be releasing the victim's identity, age or gender. At the very least, the Hopi Tribe confirmed the person was killed by dogs, tribal authorities at the Wind River Reservation won't even do that.

The release also addresses Ordinance #61, which passed in 2016 and addresses small animal bites and attacks, preventing the spread of disease, and educating responsible pet ownership on the Hopi Reservation. Unlike the Navajo Nation's new ordinance that specifies criminal charges, including prison time for certain offenses for dog owners, the Hopi ordinance only has civil penalties and fines. The ordinance was published in the Hopi Tutuveni on October 17, 2017.

"A tragedy such as this affects our entire Tribe both on and off the reservation," said Hopi Tribal Chairman Timothy Nuvangyaoma. "It has also led us to develop a calculated response in enforcing the Hopi Animal Control Ordinance to help prevent occurrences from ever happening again."

The "Hopi Tribal Ordinance #61, Sub Section 8.00 Animal Bites" address the threat created by animals who are not restrained, and Sub Section 14.00 Disposition of Vicious Animals" allows for the euthanizing of unwanted dogs that roam the Hopi communities, in order to ensure safety of all residents. - Press release, The Hopi Tribe, June 13, 2022

Notably, the ordinance allows for "free roaming dogs and cats" on tribal lands. Subsection 12.00 states, "Registered dogs or cats may lawfully roam free on the Hopi Reservation, provided that their vaccinations and registration are current, there is no pending complaint about the animal on file with the Animal Control Officer, and the animal has not been found to be vicious or in heat." Pet owners are encouraged to have their dogs and cats vaccinated and spay and neutered.

In April 2022, an article in the Hopi Tutuveni asks, "Reservation Dogs -- Is this another Epidemic-like Situation on Hopi?" The article points out the "free roaming dogs and cats" part of the code and urges the passage of a new ordinance. "Some of the uncontrolled reservation dogs are forming semi-wild packs which are starting to attack family pets and residents," states the article. "It will only be a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt or killed by the wild pack dogs."

Kykotsmovi, Ariz. – March 31, 2022 "Reservation Dogs" is not just a popular TV series but it is an actual term used by some Natives living on the reservation. This term also describes a dog which wanders around the reservation with no care, has no home, no food, no water, and no master or anyone to care for them. And these dogs seem to survive the longest here on the Hopi reservation. It also seems that every Hopi village could be home to an estimated 50-60 stray dogs which multiplied by the count of 12 villages, could get us up to around 600-720 stray dogs throughout the Hopi reservation. And each month, even more puppies are being born to those same stray dogs. This reservation-wide problem seems to have become an epidemic that Hopi people have dealt with for quite some time even before the current world wide pandemic. - Hopi Tutuveni, April 6, 2022

The publication also contains this article: "Small Animal Control Returns After Two Year Hiatus." Mirroring what occurred on the Navajo Nation during the pandemic years, the Hopi "Small Animal Control Program is back up and running after almost 2 years of dormancy due to the pandemic." Like the Navajo Nation, there was a "dramatic increase" in the reservation's free-ranging dog population due to suppressed animal control and spay/neuter services during the pandemic.

"During the last two years there has been a dramatic increase in the population of owned and unowned dogs that roam the villages and communities posing a potential health and safety risk for spread of vector-borne disease and zoonotic disease and injury through dog bites," said Madeline Sahneyah, Public Health Compliance Program Officer and Manager of the Hopi Small Animal Control Program. "This event is one of many more needed to encourage residents to become responsible pet owners and abide by the requirements of the Small Animal Control Ordinance #61" … "Tribal members can rest assured that we are working on solutions for the dog problem. We are addressing the overpopulation of unowned and unwanted dogs that roam the villages and communities" ... "Residents who live here should not have to be fearful while going for a walk or just to go outside in general because of vicious dogs." - Hopi Tutuveni, April 6, 2022

The death of this individual on the Hopi Reservation marks at least the sixth Native American killed by dogs on a U.S. Indian reservation after the Covid-19 pandemic began, between May 16, 2021 to June 15, 2022. Four of these deaths have occurred in 2022 alone, after two years of uninhibited consecutive dog mating seasons during the pandemic. The only question that remains is how many more Native Americans will be killed by dog packs on reservations by December 31, 2022?

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Fatal Dog Attacks on American Indian Reservations.

Learn about breed-specific laws on Indian reservations in our Breed Safety Laws section.

Posted on June 15, 2022 by Colleen Lynn

2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Hockley County Man Found Dead in his Driveway was Killed by Pit Bull-Type Dogs

Both Owners Face Criminally Negligent Homicide Charges

Andrew Woods, 57, was killed by multiple "American bullies" in Anton, Texas.

Dog Owners Face Felony
UPDATE 03/03/23: The owners of three dogs that viciously attacked and killed a man in June of 2022 have been arrested in connection to his mauling death. The owners of the dogs, 71-year-old Jose Manuel Elizondo and 65-year-old San Juanita Elizondo, have been arrested and indicted, according to court records. They have been charged with criminally negligent homicide, reports KCBD. Both dog owners are being held in the Hockley County jail on a $75,000 bond.

Criminally negligent homicide under Texas state law is a felony offense (Sec. 19.05). Hockley County does not have criminal court records online, so we could not confirm the statute. But the Texas felony dog attack law (822.005) indeed addresses “criminal negligence” for failure 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 ... or death” of person.

A report from the Levelland & Hockley County News Press clarifies the pair was charged under the felony dog attack law -- this is an important distinction because that stature carries stiffer penalties. “The defendant who was the owner of dogs, recklessly or with criminal negligence, failed to secure the dogs. The dogs made an unprovoked attack on Andrew Lynn Woods that occurred at a location other than the defendant’s property that resulted in the death of Woods.”

Hockley County man killed by pit bull-type dog

Jose Manuel Elizondo, 71, and San Juanita Elizondo, 65, have been charged with criminally negligent homicide in connection to the dog mauling death of Andrew Woods in June of 2022.

06/15/22: Man Killed by Dogs
Anton, TX - On the morning of June 10, 2022, Hockley County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the 800 block of Tarver Street in reference to a deceased man in the driveway of a home and began investigating his death. At that time, a photojournalist at the scene reported that multiple dogs were seen taken away from by animal control officers. On June 14, the Hockley County Sheriff's Office issued a press release stating the suspicious death investigation was ongoing.

Investigation Continues in Anton Death

On the morning of Friday, June 10, 2022, at approximately 7:12 AM, Hockley County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an address in the 800 block of Tarver Street, Anton, Hockley County, Texas, in reference to a possible deceased male in the driveway of the residence. Emergency Medical assistance was also requested at the residence. Deputies were advised there were three dogs around the male at the time he was discovered, and he had possibly suffered bites from the dogs.

Upon arrival, responding deputies located a male subject, later identified as Andrew Woods, 57, of Anton, unresponsive in the driveway in front of the home. The Justice of the Peace for Precinct 4 was contacted, who responded and pronounced the male deceased at the scene. An autopsy was requested and was performed on Monday, June 13, 2022. As of Monday evening, initial findings related to cause and manner of death have not been released by the judge and more information is expected when complete autopsy results are submitted.

Related to the case, the three dogs located at the scene were quarantined following the incident and await a hearing to determine whether there will be a declaration of dangerous dogs.

We express our most sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Woods for the loss of their loved one. The investigation into the incident is ongoing and more information will be released when available by the Sheriff’s Office. - Sheriff R. Scifres, Hockley County Sheriff's Office, June 14, 2022

On June 15, media outlets reported that results from the autopsy performed two days earlier ruled the cause of death as multiple blunt and penetrating injuries due to a dog attack. The manner of death was ruled an accident. On the same day, a hearing was held in Justice of the Peace Court in Precinct 4, in Anton. The three dogs involved, identified by law enforcement as "American bullies" -- a pit bull "designer" breed -- were ordered seized due to causing the death of a person.

Everythinglubbock.com reported the entire update from the Hockley County Sheriff's Office. The updated information addresses the dog breed, the dog seizure hearing, and potential criminal liability in the case. The latter indicates that the victim, 57-year old Andrew Woods, was not the owner of the dogs. It is unknown who owns the dogs and if the dogs escaped an enclosure prior to attacking and killing Woods, which would likely fall under the Texas felony dog attack statute.

On the morning of Friday, June 10, 2022, at approximately 7:12 AM, Hockley County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an address in the 800 block of Tarver Street, Anton, Hockley County, Texas, in reference to a possible deceased male in the driveway of the residence. Upon arrival, responding deputies located a male subject, later identified as Andrew Woods, 57, of Anton, unresponsive in the driveway in front of the home.

The Justice of the Peace for Precinct 4 was contacted, who responded and pronounced Woods deceased at the scene. An autopsy was ordered and was performed on Monday, June 13, 2022. According to the information released from Judge Wood, Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, and South Plains Forensic Pathology, the manner of death was ruled Accidental and cause of death was listed as resulting from multiple blunt and penetrating injuries due to a dog attack.

Related to the case, the three dogs located at the scene were quarantined following the incident and on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, a hearing was held in Justice of the Peace Court in Precinct 4, in Anton. The three dogs, identified as “American Bullie” breeds, were ordered to be seized due to causing a death of a person.

Related to any potential criminal culpability in the case, the matter remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office with cooperation from the District Attorney’s Office, and no determination has been made as of yet related to criminal charges. More information will be released when it is available and when further determinations are made related to the incident.

Deaths Inflicted by American Bullies

Fatal dog maulings inflicted in by American bullies, "developed as a natural extension of the American pit bull terrier," according to the United Kennel Club, have been increasing in the US since 2014, and increasing in Canada and the UK as well. The most recent fatal American bully attack in the US -- a dog that was predominantly mastiff, not pit bull -- occurred in February, when a hulking pit bull-type rescue dog, named "Gladys" killed a volunteer at a Florida rescue facility.

Andrew Woods, 57, was found dead after being mauled by three "American bullies" in Anton.

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

DogsBite blog ::

Both Owners Face Criminally Negligent Homicide Charges