Rising Dog Maulings in Two Central Texas Cities (2018-2023): What Public Safety Policy Got Wrong—and How to Fix It

Austin and San Antonio Severe Injury Dog Bite Data Pre- and Post-Covid Austin, TX - Since 2022, we have been reporting a steep rise in dog bite fatalities in CDC Wonder data during the Covid and post-Covid years. In October, we published our 2022 Macro-Level Forces Report. We discussed the rise in the total number of deaths to 98 -- the highest ever recorded in CDC Wonder data -- and a 180% rise since 2018 (from 35 deaths to 98). Our hypothesis quickly became that if Covid-era dog bi… [Read full blog post]

Northeast Houston Man Wanted for Murder Now Faces Three Felony Dog Attack Charges after Pit Bull Attack Kills Neighbor

Marshall Garrett is wanted for murder and faces felony dog attack charges after a woman's death. Dog Owner Faces Felonies Houston, TX - On April 9, Marshall Garrett, 38, was charged with three counts of felony dog attack resulting in death after his pit bulls killed a woman. The Houston Police Department said 65-year old Harriet Phillips was found dead in the backyard of her home in the 8000 block of Wayside Village Way on March 23. Three "Staffordshire-mixes" belonging to Ga… [Read full blog post]

2024 Dog Bite Fatality: Elderly Woman Killed by Multiple Dogs in Milam County, Texas; Few Details Released

Delores Woolverton, 88, was killed by multiple dogs in Milam County. Dog Owners Arrested UPDATE 04/08/25: The Milam County Sheriff's Office announced today that arrest warrants against Joel Rubio, 61, and Terri Ann Frank, 65, were served April 7th on the 2nd degree felony charge of dog attack resulting in death in connection to the mauling death of an 88-year old woman on December 18, 2024. Deputies responded to a residence in the 500 block of Beverley Drive around 1:11 pm in r… [Read full blog post]

2023 Unreported Dog Bite Fatality: Family Files Federal Lawsuit After Woman Killed by Son's Known Vicious Dogs

Estela Manteca died after being attacked by her son's known vicious dogs. The Complaint Pharr, TX - On January 3, 2025, a daughter and a granddaughter of a 91-year old woman killed by her son's pack of vicious dogs in 2023 filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Pharr, Texas seeking $100 million in damages. The plaintiffs brought the action against the city "for the gross failure of its public works division to protect Estela Manteca from a foreseeable and preventable attac… [Read full blog post]