Vicious and Dangerous Dog Hearing After Alleged 'Service' Pit Bull Attacks Security Officer in San Francisco Public Library

Findings: 'Disproportionate' Response; Dog Ordered Euthanized

Dangerous dog hearing of the San Francisco public library attack by an alleged "service" pit bull.


San Francisco, CA - On January 16, 2022, Fidel Joshua, a Buildings and Ground Patrol Officer at the San Francisco Public Library was viciously attacked by an alleged “service” pit bull while attempting to check on the welfare of the dog's owner, who was unresponsive and slumped over a desk. During the attack, a co-worker strikes the dog with a ball pein hammer several times, breaking the hammer. Part of the attack was captured on camera and posted to Reddit.

On February 1, a Vicious and Dangerous Dog hearing was held regarding the pit bull “Dorje.” This was the second hearing for Dorje. In January of 2019, the dog attacked a man, biting him on the head, who was approaching a recycling bin where Dorje's owner, Brendan Greene, was sleeping. Greene never woke up during the attack. During that hearing, Greene agreed to never leave Dorje unattended in a public place again. Dorje was deemed not vicious or dangerous at that time.


San Francisco Public Library Attack: Findings

1. This is Dorje’s second “Vicious and Dangerous Dog” hearing. On January 31, 2019, a prior hearing was held. Hearing Officer Vicky Guldbech issued a Statement of Decision dated February 4, 2019, in which she found that the evidence presented was sufficient to find that Dorje bit and caused injury to Eric Hartwell because Dorje was frightened and protective of Greene. Hearing Officer Guldbech also found that the evidence presented was sufficient to show that Greene was no longer homeless. In conclusion, she found, “Since this incident, Mr. Green [sic] is now aware of this behavior and will not put Dorje in a situation like this again. I do believe this incident was an accident, but Mr. Green [sic] can never leave Dorje unattended in a public place again.” (Ex. 6: Statement of Decision, p. 2.) Dorje was deemed not vicious and dangerous.

2. On January 16, 2022, Brendan Greene was found unresponsive on the third floor of the San Francisco Public Library. His Pit Bull dog, Dorje, was not on leash or under his control. Dorje barked aggressively, for approximately 10 minutes. Adairell Roberson, a library security officer, grabbed a hammer for protection and responded to the third floor to wait for SFSO deputies with other library personnel. Concerned Greene had overdosed, security officer Fidel Joshua grabbed a can of Narcan and responded to the third floor. Joshua slowly approached Greene with his arms to his side to do a welfare check and to see if Dorje was leashed. Dorje went underneath the table and lunged at Joshua’s neck. Joshua put his arm up to protect himself. Dorje bit his arm and pulled Joshua to the ground biting him multiple times on both arms. Roberson sprayed pepper spray on the dog, but it had no effect. Dorje continued his sustained attack on Joshua while Joshua screamed. Roberson struck Dorje on the head multiple times to protect Joshua. The hammer broke on Dorje’s head. Dorje stopped the attack. Joshua was transported to the hospital with severe puncture wounds on both arms. Dorje’s attack was unprovoked.

3. Greene was twice found unresponsive in public settings with Dorje at which time Dorje viciously attacked two adult men. Therefore, Greene cannot adequately control his dog within the meaning of Article 1, Section 42.3(c)(ii) of the San Francisco Health Code. - Hearing Officer Janelle Caywood , Statement of Decision, February 16, 2022


On February 16, 2022, Hearing Officer Janelle Caywood issued her Statement of Decision, which found that Dorje meets the vicious and dangerous criteria set forth in the San Francisco Health Code. Caywood ordered the dog to be humanely euthanized. She also banned Greene from owning or possessing any dogs in the City and County of San Francisco for a period of three years. Our video depicts the audio of the Vicious and Dangerous Dog hearing held February 1.

At (10:58) Fidel Joshua begins his testimony. Fidel is in the hospital while he is speaking. At (16:33) he describes the attack. "I tried to get the dog off me by hitting him with punches with my right hand. The dog yanked me down to the ground. As I fell, I continued to throw punches to try to get him off me … I see that officer Roberson had come over. He was hitting the dog with a pin hammer. I saw the hammer when it broke. I think he hit it like two or three times before it broke."

Still struggling with the dog, "I remember putting my right thumb in the dog's right eye," he said. Once the attack had concluded, and while still on the ground, Fidel said, "I realized I couldn't move my right leg," and there was blood on my hands. Fidel received emergency medical treatment for puncture wounds to both hands, nerve damage on his left hand, a torn meniscus, completely torn rotator cuffs, tears on his right shoulder and "completely detached" right quadricep muscles.

Adairell Roberson, a Buildings and Ground Patrol Officer at the San Francisco Public Library, provides testimony next (21:02). As he was responding to the call about an aggressively barking dog on the third floor, "I grabbed the hammer for protection. Because we don't have no clubs or anything. We just have pepper spray," he said. "So I said, 'I'm going to go ahead and grab something just in case this situation gets out of hand.'" He then dashed up to the third floor.

Roberson and his co-worker, Rita Masina, developed a perimeter so that other patrons in the library could not get close to the dog that was erratically "going back and forth" unleashed. He said he saw a blue rope, but it was unclear if it was attached to anything. Roberson and Masina shouted at the owner to wake up, but "the guy never buzzed, he never woke up," Roberson said. Meanwhile, fearing the owner had overdosed, Fidel approached the man with a can of Narcan.

"That is when the dog went underneath the table and jumped up toward Fidel's neck. And that is when Fidel started to defend himself…As soon as he started hitting the dog, that is when I deployed my OC spray…I'm trying to spray the dog and it has zero effect. That is when I went in my pocket, grabbed the hammer and started to hit the dog. I broke the hammer over the dog's head." (28:20) - Officer Adairell Roberson

Officer Rita Masina speaks next (31:41). She gives her account. At (37:02) she describes the chaotic scene. "The dog seemed to be shaking while he was biting, and jumping while he was biting. The hits were not affecting the dog," she said. "Then, all I recall is the hammer hitting him one time when it breaks. That is when I just noticed the dog let go. As Officer Roberson said, the dog was kind of unresponsive, like dazed. Then the dog ran over to its owner," Masina said.

At (44:32), Doreen Horstin, a librarian, provides interesting testimony. She thought the dog's owner was dead. "The owner Brandon Greene had his face on the computer keyboard. He was completely unresponsive. I was kind of wondering if he was dead actually. Because it was so loud, and he wasn't responding," Horstin said. When Greene did finally wake up, he started "yelling at our guards, telling them that it was their fault that the dog attacked them," she said (50:22).

Highly observant Horstin testified that Greene "said something really interesting" to the animal control officer, who was holding a catchpole. He said, "Don't use those. They've used those on my dog before. He doesn't like it. He'll freak out, or something like that," she said. "So, I thought, hmmm. That's interesting that he has had this experience before." Horstin also noted the size of the pit bull. The dog was "a little on the small side for a pit bull. I'd say 50 or 60 pounds," she said.


That even a California librarian recognizes that 50 to 60 pounds is small for a pit bull today indicates a substantial shift in the conformation of pit bulls from 15 years ago.1 Due to breeding for a "bullier" pit bull -- a thicker, heavier pit bull like the Gotti and Razor Edge bloodlines, which spun off into the American bully -- broader, stockier pit bulls are more common today than the lighter, athletic "game dog" conformation as depicted in the American Dog Breeders Association's logo.


Dog Owner's Testimony

At (1:08:08) Greene provides his testimony, which does him no favors, including the riveting story that his "truck was stolen" a few days before the attack, along with it, his "telephone, wallet, money, cards, clothes." Thus, Dorje and I were stuck in an "unfamiliar situation," he said. Prior to falling asleep in the library, Greene had stayed up all night walking around. "I was using the library" to make phone calls. "There were no drugs involved. It was just exhaustion," he said.

At (1:15:03) Hearing Officer Caywood asks the dog owner: "Mr. Greene, your dog had a prior Vicious and Dangerous Dog hearing almost three years to the day in 2019. Is that correct? I do have that file and I read it. In that incident, isn't it true that Dorje bit a man in the head while you were sleeping?" Greene responds: "Yes ma'am. I was at a very different point in my life." He added, "I was not in a good place with substance abuse," and "I had fallen asleep in an alley."

"Looks like you dodged a bullet here. The hearing officer found that your dog didn't meet the vicious and dangerous criteria. She noted that you were no longer homeless … This is what she wrote at the end of her decision, quote: 'Since this incident, Mr. Greene is now aware of his behaviors and will not put Dorje in a situation like this again.' And later in the decision, she wrote, 'Mr. Greene can never leave Dorje unattended in a public place ever again.'

The hearing officer gave you a break. Had compassion for the situation you were in. But the same thing happened. You fell asleep and your dog bit someone, rather severely. So, I am concerned about releasing this dog to the public." - Hearing Officer Janelle Caywood

In addition to the first attack that occurred in January 2019, Caywood noted that in January 2020 (yet another January) a woman at Grass Valley Animal Control called San Francisco Animal Care and Control asking for Greene's contact info. Dorje had come in as a stray. The woman from Grass Valley reported that "Dorje had blood on him." Grass Valley is about 145 miles northeast of San Francisco. Greene blamed that incident on a dog-sitter allowing his dog to get loose.

Closing Arguments

At (1:42:01), Officer Fidel Joshua is given three additional minutes to speak. "I just want to reiterate that the dog's owner was unresponsive in a public facility with a dangerous animal," Fidel said. "He has no control of his dog when he’s unconscious. And, it appears to have happened twice," he said. "That's very risky. Regardless of his excuses, what happened to him, there's still some responsibility that comes with owning a dog, especially a pit bull," Officer Joshua said.

At (1:46:02) Captain Amy Corso of San Francisco Animal Care and Control (SFACC) provides a recommendation for the outcome for Dorje. Due to the "disproportionate, protracted response" by the dog "resulting in severe injuries" to a grown adult -- injuries that included "complete avulsion" and "tearing and gaping wounds," a Level 5 bite -- "SFACC recommends humane euthanasia to protect public safety," Corso said. This was also not the dog's first serious bite, Corso said.

"While the protection of the owner is in line with resource guarding, the severity of the attack was beyond the context of a dog working properly. It was a disproportionate, protracted response, resulting in severe injuries to a grown adult. On the bite scale, this would register as a Level 5. And this was not the first serious bite. So, due to a poor prognosis, and a likelihood of repeat offenses, SFACC recommends humane euthanasia to protect public safety."

Hearing Officer Caywood then asks if Captain Corso can explain to people in attendance what a Level 5 bite is.

"Sure, I'll do it in relation to the injuries in this case," Corso said. "There was complete avulsion. Complete removal of tissue and skin. There was another one that was partial removal of tissue, which is where you see that flap of skin or flesh. And there were tearing and gaping wounds. Like I said, this is a mauling. That is the Level 5 bite size level." - Captain Amy Corso of San Francisco Animal Care and Control


San Francisco Public Library Attack: Conclusion

Based on the testimony at the hearing, the documents, photographs, videos, and the above Findings, Dorje meets the vicious and dangerous criteria under subdivisions (1) of Section 42. Credible evidence was presented establishing that Dorje attacked and bit Joshua multiple times on January 16, 2022. In determining whether a dog bite is provoked, the alleged victim’s behavior prior to the incident is examined. We look to whether the person bitten was either provoking or teasing the dog without cause. (See, e.g., SF Health Code, Art. 1, section 41.5.1) Here, Fidel Joshua did not provoke, strike, tease, or antagonize Dorje. He simply walked slowly toward Greene with Narcan to do a welfare check.

In response to Joshua’s slow approach to help Greene, Dorje lunged and tried to bite Joshua in the neck. The ensuing attack was nothing short of a mauling. The harrowing video depicted in Exhibit 4, which captured part of the attack, speaks for itself. Had Roberson not had the presence of mind to grab a hammer for protection before he responded to the third floor, Joshua could have been maimed or killed. Even with two adult males fighting with all their might to stop the attack, Joshua was still severely injured. In fact, he testified from the hospital following surgery weeks later. Believing Greene had overdosed, Joshua put his life on the line to attempt to care for Greene. In response to this good deed, Joshua was mauled by Greene’s vicious dog.

Greene’s assertion that Dorje’s attack on Joshua is justified on grounds that the dog was merely protecting Greene, is without merit. The critical inquiry is whether the attack was provoked. Even if Dorje attacked to “protect” Greene, the attack was still unprovoked. Not only did Joshua do nothing to antagonize the dog, but the severity of the attack was also completely disproportionate to Joshua’s slow, non-threatening approach with his arms at his side. As Captain Corso aptly stated, Dorje’s so-called protective behavior is not within a normal range. - Hearing Officer Janelle Caywood, Statement of Decision, February 16, 2022


Discussion

This was a well-run hearing conducted via a conference call that included about a dozen witnesses in a high-profile case. The still graphic used for the hearing's audio overlay shows Greene during his 2019 hearing. Officer Caywood did not preside over that hearing. She is seen in the overlay from the 2019 Chinatown hearing. Both hearings were captured by Black Summers Productions, LLC, which created a three-part video documentary series critical of SFACC.

We continue to be haunted by the words of Officer Roberson, who grabbed a ball pein hammer before dashing up to the third floor to face a vicious dog. "I grabbed the hammer for protection. Because we don't have no clubs or anything. We just have pepper spray," he said. Roberson and the other San Francisco Public Library security officers had been waiting on a sheriff's deputy to arrive, who was armed with the tools and equipment necessary to respond to a vicious animal.

Officer Roberson's actions were also included in the Statement of Decision. "Had Roberson not had the presence of mind to grab a hammer for protection before he responded to the third floor, Joshua could have been maimed or killed. Even with two adult males fighting with all their might to stop the attack, Joshua was still severely injured," Caywood wrote. This is especially true since Roberson first deployed a can of pepper spray on the attacking pit bull, which had "zero effect."

The soft-spoken victim, Fidel Joshua, who called in from the hospital, is also unforgettable. At one point during his testimony, he states the obvious about Green's "service dog" claim too. "My personal opinion is that I think they need these dogs for protection because they are homeless. They bring them into the facility and they are a danger to others." This is yet another loophole in the ADA that can allow fake service dogs to inflict a first and second attack in a public space.

Greene in part "dodged a bullet" during the 2019 hearing because the victim did not attend. Officer Ryan Crockett of the SFPD's Vicious and Dangerous Dog Unit did play a recorded statement by the victim, but that does not carry the same weight as attending and speaking to the hearing officer. What did the first victim think when the Reddit video went viral? The outcome of the first hearing should have been declaring Dorje vicious and dangerous with mandatory muzzling.

Since this incident, Mr. Greene is now aware of this behavior and will not put Dorje in a situation like this again. I do believe this incident was an accident, but Mr. Greene can never leave Dorje unattended in a public place ever again. I was also disappointed that I could not speak to Mr. Hartwell. I did accept his statement, but Officer Crockett indicated he just did not want to appear at the hearing. - Hearing Officer Vicky Guldbech, Statement of Decision, February 2, 2019

Dorje was 9.5-years old when he attacked Fidel, according to Greene. The dog had been with Greene since the age of 1. Greene claimed his dog was a "service dog for PTSD" and had been "professionally trained." Dorje was neutered at the age of 2, Greene testified. All three incidents, including two resulting in a Vicious and Dangerous Dog hearing, occurred years after the dog had been neutered. The only upshot of Dorje being neutered is that this dog could not reproduce.

Finally, we asked Mike Black, who has since closed Black Summers Productions, how often a hearing results in the owner being banned from owning dogs in the City and County for 3-years. Black has audited roughly 250 of these hearings between March 2017 and today. From May 2017 to March 2020, when the pandemic forced the City to switch to telephone conferences, Black video recorded every single hearing. Black said the 3-year ownership ban is rarely invoked.

"I would describe the 3-year ban as a measure that is rarely invoked -- maybe a half dozen times in my period of monitoring the hearings. As you would expect, the owner has to have demonstrated on more than one occasion a marked inability or unwillingness to control a dangerous dog. In many ways, it's a more extreme measure than a euthanasia order. It's not about just one bad dog, but about an owner who has shown a serious disregard for the safety of others. I think the hearing officers understand that this restriction deprives a human being of a real benefit, the companionship of an affectionate pet, and so it's reserved for that person who simply can't be trusted to do the right thing with any dog." - Mike Black


San Francisco Public Library attack - dangerous dog hearing

From left: The San Francisco Public Library attack video; Brendan Greene in the January 2019 hearing; and Hearing Officer Janelle Caywood in the August 2019 Chinatown attack hearing.

1Then of course since the fatal attack of Diane Whipple in 2001 in San Francisco by two presa canarios, which unleashed an onslaught of California breeders crossing pit bulls with mastiffs to achieve a similar appearing breed (which often equates to "larger sized" pit bulls), larger, heavier pit bulls became a staple in the state of California.

Related articles:
12/10/19: Vicious and Dangerous Dog Hearing; Pit Bulls Attack Man and His Dog in Chinatown
05/28/19: Installment 3: Conflict of Interest: San Francisco Animal Control and Virginia Donohue
12/06/18: Installment 2: San Francisco Animal Control: Vicious and Dangerous Dogs Unleashed

2022 Dog Bite Fatality: 4-Year Old Boy Killed, Relative Injured in Violent Dog Attack in Baytown, Texas

violent dog attack baytown
Pit bulls killed Drué Parker and injured a family member in a violent dog attack in Baytown.

Child Identified
UPDATE 03/22/22: One month after a 4-year old boy was killed by pit bulls while visiting his aunt's home, his mother identified him and spoke publicly to the media. Daijah McClay said her son, Drué Parker, had stayed with his aunt for the night at her home in the Bramor Subdivision. He was supposed to return home the next day. But just after waking up that morning, he encountered the pack of pit bulls living at the residence. Daijah said the dogs belonged to the aunt's husband.

"He just woke up," McClay said. "He was looking for my little cousin. She wasn't in the room. He opened the door. She was feeding the dogs as soon as you open the door. They said she told him to go back in the room," McClay said. That is where the attack began, before moving outside. Surveillance cameras from a neighbor captured the horrific mauling. "One jumped on him. Another one, and another one," McClay said. Animal control euthanized all four dogs after the attack.

The attack occurred around 7:40 am on February 23. Drué was rushed to Baytown Hospital, where he later died. Yahir Martinez witnessed part of the attack and called 911. "The kid was in the dog’s mouth," Martinez stated at the time. "That’s what those dogs are meant to do. Lock their jaw. They bite and they lock their jaw. Once they do its difficult for you to get them to unlock their jaw." Another neighbor said the pit bulls could not be removed until the little boy stopped moving.


02/23/22: Child Killed by Pit Bulls
Baytown, TX - A 4-year-old child is dead after being attacked by dogs at a residence this morning, Baytown police said. First responders were dispatched to a home in the 2700 block of Massey Tompkins Road at about 7:40 am for reports of a dog fight. Arriving officers found that a 4-year old boy had been attacked by the dogs. Emergency medical care was administered at the scene before the child was transported to Baytown Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

“Today, Baytown police officers worked a call that every officer dreads, the death of a child. We are heartbroken for the loss of this child. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in the community who has been impacted by this tragedy,” said Baytown Police Chief John Stringer. A relative, who intervened to help the child, was also injured. The child that was killed by the dogs had been staying at the residence, police said. Animal control seized the multiple dogs involved.

Baytown Police and Fire audio archives at Broadcastify.com indicate the attack occurred at a home in the Bramor Subdivision. The dispatcher tells Fire and Police, "Pretty hysterical caller [saying] pit bulls killing each other," she said. "There is supposed to be five of them," she said. "They are concerned about the children going to the bus stop soon." Also, "It sounds like possibly one of the neighbor's stabbed one of the dogs." No other information has been released.

Evening Updates

KPRC spoke to Yahir Martinez who witnessed part of the attack and called 911. Martinez was shaken by the attack. "Being a baby and having pampers on, it was jaw-dropping," he said. "I guess part of his face was missing, that’s what really got me." Neighbors described the four dogs -- two adults and two puppies -- as pit bulls that were known to be friendly. KPRC also showed home surveillance video that captured one of the pit bulls two minutes before the fatal attack.

KTRK also spoke to Martinez. He had just arrived at his boss' house when he heard a woman scream next door. "I did not hear the baby. The baby was totally unconscious. All you hear is the dogs growling and like biting. She was really upset," he said. "She did not know what to do." The child was the woman's nephew, who had been staying at the residence. KTRK also reported that the vicious attack was captured on the surveillance camera but was "too troubling to air."

violent dog attack Baytown

Home surveillance video captured one of the pit bulls two minutes before the fatal attack.

violent dog attack bayotwn

KHOU reports that four dogs, two adults and two puppies, were confiscated by animal control.


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Related articles:
11/23/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: 48-Year Old Houston Woman Mauled to Death by Her Own Dogs
07/19/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman, 59, Killed by Pair of Family Pit Bulls in El Paso Home


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.

2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Hulking Pit Bull-Type Dog Kills Woman, Injures Another at Rescue Dog Facility in Florida

Pam Robb - killed by hulking pit bull-type dog at Florida rescue
A hulking pit bull-type dog killed Pam Robb at a rescue dog facility in Oakland Park.

Civil Lawsuit Filed
UPDATE 12/08/22: In early December, we became aware of a civil lawsuit that was filed against 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida in connection to the mauling death of 71-year old Pam Robb, who had been volunteering at the rescue. On February 17, Robb was violently attacked by a 125-pound pit bull-mastiff type dog that the rescue had "saved" from the Everglades on January 18. The lawsuit was filed in July by Angela Anobile, the surviving spouse of Robb.

The legal name of the defendant is 100 Plus Animal Rescue, Inc. The wrongful death lawsuit alleges that under statute 767.04 of Florida code, the defendant is strictly liable for the damages caused by the subject dog to Robb. The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $30,000 and demands a jury trial. The lawsuit, unsurprisingly, focuses on the rescue’s lack of safety protocols and safety equipment on the premises and the lack of training for when a dog attacks.

Pages 4-6 itemize the alleged breaches of duty and safety failures, including: failing to euthanize the dog “immediately upon learning of its dangerous propensities,” failing to train employees for dog attacks on the premises, “luring members of the general public,” including Robb, onto the premises by stating that the subject dog "needs your love and support," and failing to provide Robb with the “proper protective equipment.” Also, for failing to call 911 in a timely manner.

Since apparently no one on the premises had any training for when a dog attacks, much less for a hulking 125 pound dog, they resorted to “throwing food” at the dog, “splashing water” on it and “placing a bone in its mouth.” The lawsuit alleges the rescue had no equipment on the premises to separate the attacking dog from Robb. The lawsuit also alleges that 100 Plus Animal Rescue breached their duty of care for Robb by failing to “render first aid” to her after the brutal attack.


02/18/22: Outside When Attacked
Local news station WPLG watched additional videos of "Gladys from the Glades," a hulking pit bull-type dog that was rescued from the Everglades on January 18 by 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida. On February 17, the dog attacked and killed 71-year old Pam Robb who was volunteering at the facility on Commercial Boulevard. In a February 5 video, WPLG noted that an employee admits that the dog's fear issues "might be out of our hands, a little over our heads."

"It has been slow and steady with Gladys (5:43) … Since we have had her in the house, she is good with certain people. She is not good with others (6:00) ... She has got tremendous, tremendous fear ... She is afraid to leave this room. It is a battle to get her out of this room every single day. If we can get her out in the yard, she's terrified out there. She does not want to be out there. She paces, tail is tucked. She's just a nervous wreck (6:27) She's got so much anxiety and fear. We are trying to manage it (7:06) As I said, there are only a few of us that can work with Gladys right now, because she's got some fear issues of our other volunteers … We are doing the best that we can [to get her over her anxiety]. It might be out of our hands, a little over our heads. (13:38)” - Gladys Update, slow and steady

The Sun-Sentinel reports that Robb had volunteered at the rescue for the last six years after she retired from teaching at a high school. According to her wife, Angie Anobile, Robb was outside with the dog when the attack happened. Gladys first latched onto Robb's arm before taking Robb to the ground. Despite this violent act, Anobile said, Robb "was one of the few that the dog resonated with. She was just starting to build trust with the dog." (See February 14 video of dog outside.)

Clearly, the dog did not "resonate" with Robb or possibly any human being. Though, it appears the dog "tolerated" some people. Confusing the two cost Robb her life. The dog was also outside at the time of the attack, a place where Tiffany explained, "She's terrified out there. She does not want to be out there." Certainly, all of the signs were apparent that this dog posed a safety threat to staffers and volunteers while outside and inside. "Wishful thinking" did not remove this threat.

The Sun-Sentinel also spoke to Ana Campos, a private investigator and animal activist. Campos was critical of the rescue for not enough people wearing bite sleeves or other safety equipment during the "Divine Intervention" rescue of the dog on January 18, along with people who visited the dog after the Everglades rescue. “I’ve got to tell you when I watched the video of the rescue along with everybody else, I had concerns about basic safety protocols being ignored,” Campos said.

Finally, as predicted by our own commenters, the claim that Robb "died doing what she loved," has manifested, as it has after other female rescuers were fatally attacked by dangerous dogs they were trying to rehab. “Pam loved what she was doing and died loving what she was doing,” Anobile told WPLG. Indeed, love would have been throbbing from her heart as the 125 pound "Gladys from the Glades" latched onto her arm, took her to the ground, and fatally mauled her.


02/17/22: Rescue Dog Kills
Oakland Park, FL - One woman is dead and another injured after being mauled by a dog at a rescue facility. The multi-victim attack occurred at 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida, located at 345 East Commercial Boulevard. The female dog, a pit bull-mastiff combination, was rescued from the Everglades on January 18. She was named "Gladys of the Glades" by her rescuers, which is recorded in a January 18 rescue video on the group's Facebook page.

At 1:24, the woman who is filming tells the rescue story. She calls it a "Divine Intervention," and that a group of women prayed together, "and one of the members of her prayer group, gave her my number. She called me. And here we are." Just under one month later, after multiple fundraising videos were posted for the dog, Gladys inflicted a fatal attack. "Our Hearts are Broken for our Dear Friend Pam. Our deepest condolences to her family & friends," states a recent post.

"We are here with Tammy and Tiffany and Jan and a couple that reached out to me last night. The couple's two boys were out here fishing -- talk about Divine Intervention. They were out here fishing and came home and told their parents that they saw a dog in the middle of the Everglades -- I am telling you there is absolutely nothing around. She is a big girl. She's a big girl. She's got nipples. We don't know if she's pregnant. We don’t know if she recently had a litter. We don't know if she was dumped out here. There is not a house anywhere in sight … The couple came out here all day yesterday, she would not come with them. She said she reached out to her prayer group and prayed with her prayer group and one of the members of her prayer group, gave her my number. She called me. And here we are." - PLEASE DONATE FOR GLADYS & OUR ONGOING MISSION 

Oakland Park Fire Rescue crews and Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene at the rescue dog facility on East Commercial Boulevard just before 11:00 am, reports WSVN. The 71-year old female victim, identified as Pam Robb, was transported to Broward Health Medical Center with serious bite injuries. Shortly thereafter, she succumbed to her injuries. The other female victim, who intervened to help, suffered minor injuries and was taken to Holy Cross Health.

WSVN captured footage of the dog being removed from the facility by animal control officers. Broward Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Claudinne Caro shared the results of the preliminary investigation. "The preliminary investigation reveals that the two adult females are workers, and one of them was working with the dog when apparently the dog suddenly snapped,” Caro said. “The second adult female tried to aid that first worker, and in the process she herself got injured.”

Oakland Park is located 100 miles south of Fort Pierce, where a volunteer of the Humane Society of St. Lucie County was discovered "mutilated and dead" after being attacked by a pit bull-mix named "Amos" in 2019. That dog had been found wandering the streets a month earlier and was available for adoption prior to killing 52-year old Christine Liquori. David Robertson, who was the Executive Director at that time, said that Amos had never shown any signs of aggression before.

The most recent video of Gladys posted on the rescue's Facebook page, was published February 14. The 16 minute video shows Gladys outside with little interest in the woman who is filming. Gladys is yet another XL pit bull designer breed/American Bully involved in a fatal dog mauling. The most recent being the pit bull-cane corso mix that killed Tiffany Frangione, 48, in November and the massive pit bull-American bulldog mix that killed Amber LaBelle, 42, in September.

In a January 25 video, one commenter inquires about adopting Gladys. Terry Kemp replied, "make sure you can have the breed she is at your home also, she is a American bully" [sic]. The American bully XL is an "extension" of the pit bull terrier and is interchangeable with XL pit bulls, which are typically crossed with mastiffs, cane corsos, American bulldogs or a combination thereof. Calling this dog a "large mixed-breed" is an omission of up to four bully breeds.


hulking pit bull-type dog kills woman

The hulking pit bull-type dog, named "Gladys from the Glades," was rescued on January 18.

hulking pit bull-type dog kills woman

The hulking pit bull-type dog seen being removed from the rescue facility by animal control.

hulking pit bull-type dog

"Gladys" seen at the 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida facility in Oakland Park.

hulking pit bull-type dog

The rescue tagged this dog with hashtags #bullmastiff #pit bull #rescue on their Tiktok page.

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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.

2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Dies After Attack by Two Chained German Shepherds in Doña Ana County, New Mexico

chained german shepherds
Two German shepherds that escaped a fenced enclosure and attacked the victim.

Owner Talks to Media
Fairacres, NM - Back in January, we were alerted to a local resident's public Facebook posts. "Our neighbor was attacked by two dogs last night in his own yard," Stoney wrote. "The neighbor's dogs jumped his fence." Another neighbor heard the attack and pulled the dogs off of him. "They were eating him! He actually lost pieces of his body. They took chunks out of him. He died twice before they got him to the hospital," he wrote. Three days later, Stoney posted that the man had died.

We sent the Facebook posts to the Las Cruces Sun-News, but saw nothing further until a KVIA news report emerged February 7. The victim has been identified as 56-year old Saad Alanazi. He was attacked on January 27 in the 5200 block of Freese Lane, according to the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office. The same police agency that investigated the death of 6-year old Avery Jackson-Dunphy, who was killed by multiple dogs being fostered by his grandparents in November.

KVIA spoke to the owner of the dogs, Maria Kelley, who kept her two German shepherds chained inside a fenced-in yard. Kelly was at work when one of her chained dogs jumped the high fence, and may have been left hanging from the fence, choking. Kelley suspected her second chained dog might have pushed through a hole in the fence, reports KVIA. For a perspective of Kelley's property, see her two penned in dogs next to the fence photographs in the KVIA video footage.

No one witnessed the beginning of the attack. Neighbor Rudy Clark saw the dogs attacking Alanazi and was able to get the dogs off by striking one on the head with a walking cane. "They destroyed him," Clark said. "This man was suffering. They were tearing him apart.” The dogs inflicted deep wounds in Alanazi's legs. He was rushed to MountainView Regional Medical Center, where he died after losing a large amount of blood, according to documents obtained by KVIA.

Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart said the bites were not significant enough to cause the man's death and that Alanazi had pre-existing health conditions that also contributed to his death. Kelley was cited for several ordinance violations by animal control after the attack, but no criminal charges are expected. Kelley said she was deeply disturbed by what happened, but she also claimed to have "no idea" how the dogs got out, except that "someone" had unclipped her dogs.

Chained Fence Jumper

Perhaps in the history of this nonprofit, we have not seen a fatal dog attack involving two chained German shepherds, where one leaped over an 8-foot fence and nearly choked itself to death. That level of chaining frustration and climbing agility typically involves pit bulls. Kelley has many photos of her backyard on her Facebook page, which is filled with herb plants, flowers, trees, bird feeders, a windmill and more. Kelley is clearly quite proud of it and has spent many hours caring for it.

The dogs, however, are not part of her lovely garden. They are relegated to and cordoned off in a bleak section of the property. Her dogs are merely a cheap security system. Kelley calls them that too, "My security guards." Not only were the dogs in a fenced area; they were chained, indicating they had escaped before. Whether they escaped to tear up her garden, to go after her many chickens, which are cordoned off in a separate section, or escaped to go off-property is unknown.

That Alanazi may have tried to unclip the dog hanging from the fence, choking itself, is certainly possible and is a circumstance we have seen in a fatal dog attack before. In 2007, Amber Jones, 10-years old, saw that her neighbor's pit bull had once again gotten its collar caught on the chain-link fence while trying to jump the fence. She had helped the dog in the past by unhooking the collar. But this time when she tried to help, the dog attacked her neck and stomach, killing her.1

Additional Reporting

As we were writing this post on February 8, the Sun-News reported this fatal attack and a severe injury attack. We continue to be weary of Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart, who told the Sun-News, "Some kind of intent to let the dogs loose on anyone or command the dogs (is required)," in order to file criminal charges. According to the New Mexico state felony dog attack law, that's not true. Prosecution only needs to prove the owner had knowledge of the dog's vicious propensities.


C. An owner of a dangerous or potentially dangerous dog that causes serious injury or death to a domestic animal, without provocation, is guilty of a fourth degree felony and shall be sentenced in accordance with the provisions of Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978.

D. An owner of a dangerous or potentially dangerous dog that causes serious injury to a human being, without provocation, is guilty of a third degree felony and shall be sentenced in accordance with the provisions of Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978.

E. An owner of a dangerous or potentially dangerous dog that causes the death of a human being, without provocation, is guilty of a third degree felony resulting in the death of a human being and shall be sentenced in accordance with the provisions of Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978.

F. Prosecution pursuant to this section requires a showing that: (1) an owner knew of the propensity of a dog to inflict serious injury; or (2) the dog had previously been found by a court to be a dangerous or potentially dangerous dog.


chained german shepherds fatal attack

A neighbor of the victim publicly posted to Facebook about the vicious attack on January 28.

chained german shepherds fatal attack

The owner's approximately 8-foot high damaged fence with the dog's chain hanging over it.

1The pit bull that killed Amber had a history of being chained. But it is unclear if it was chained at the time of the attack. An article published at that time stated: "Banda said Chuey could 'easily' leap over his chain-link fence, so he kept the dog chained to a tree whenever he and his wife were away. No one was at the Banda home when Amber Jones was attacked, he said. It's unclear if the pit bull was chained when the attack occurred, said Lisa Norwood, spokeswoman for Animal Care Services."

Related articles:
11/26/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Boy Killed by Dogs Being Fostered in Doña Ana County...
05/30/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: New Mexico Dog Owner Charged with Tampering with Evidence


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.