2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Beloved Church Leader Dies After Being Mauled by Neighbor's Pit Bull in Richmond, Virginia

Evangeline Brooks, a beloved church leader, died after being mauled by a neighbor's pit bull. No Felony Charges UPDATE 11/29/22: The criminal investigation after the mauling death of 88-year old Evangeline Brooks has ended. It was determined that no felony charges would be brought against the owner of the dog, Tracey Hicks. On November 7, Brooks was attacked by Hicks’ pit bull after she called out to Hicks while standing in a nearby yard. According to the Richmond Commonwea… [Read full blog post]

2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Relative's Rottweiler Kills 7-Year Old Girl, Injures Adult Female in Waynesboro, Virginia

Step-Grandfather and Grandmother Indicted on Murder Charges Olivia Floyd, 7, was killed by a relative's rottweiler in Waynesboro, Virginia. Grandparents Plead Guilty UPDATE 02/06/23: Waynesboro Circuit court records show that on February 3, 2023 the step-grandfather and paternal grandmother of a child who was killed by a rottweiler last year, pleaded guilty to several charges. Stephen Kachmar, 61, pleaded guilty to one count of felony harboring a vicious canine. Pe… [Read full blog post]

Model Letter: Advocate Writes to Candidates for Virginia Governor Outlining Poor Civil and Criminal Dog Bite Laws

Photo: Virginia State Capitol by Jim Bowen, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) Richmond, VA - Back in late September, dog bite victims' advocate Bonny Lee sent a compelling letter to the candidates running for Virginia Governor, Glenn Youngkin and Terry McAuliffe. Lee is part of a loose coalition of Virginia citizens (the dog safety committee) who have been attacked by loose dogs or have had their own domestic pets or livestock killed by dogs. Lee has been active in legislat… [Read full blog post]

2020 Dog Bite Fatality: Sleeping Newborn Killed by 'Vicious Canine' Inside Family Home in Hampton, Virginia

A sign outside the home where a sleeping infant was killed by a "vicious canine" in Hampton. GoFundMe Tall Tale UPDATE 10/29/20: A GoFundMe identifies the infant as Michelle Ocean Rae Carr. We must point out two parts of the family's statement. One, "Lane" the family German shepherd was not Michelle's "brother." Nor did this canine love or watch over "her with love." This is the very type of anthropomorphizing that can and does lead to fatal dog maulings of infants each year. No… [Read full blog post]