In the 15-year period of 2005 through 2019, canines killed 523 Americans. Pit bulls contributed to 66% (346) of these deaths. Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers contributed to 76% of the total recorded deaths. | More »
Statistical information gathered by DogsBite.org is verifiable through news reports and other criteria.1 Our Fatality Citations section documents sources used in our dog bite fatality research.
| 2007 fatal dog attacks by breed |
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In 2007, 4 dog bite fatalities involved canines from 2 or more different breeds, thus producing a death count total of 38, rather than 34. Six dog breeds each contributed to 1 death: doberman pinscher, golden retriever, husky, mastiff-mix, Welsh corgi and wolf-dog hybrid.
Amber Jones, 10-years old, was killed by a neighbor's pit bull. The attack occurred in the 700 block of Topeka Boulevard. She had been practicing cheerleading moves in her backyard that afternoon when she noticed the neighbor's pit bull try to jump over the fence, but got caught on the chain-link fence. This had happened before. When Amber went to help the dog this time, the animal attacked, biting her in the neck and stomach. Her mother heard her daughter's screams and rushed into the backyard. An unknown man also rushed in and got the dog away from the mother and daughter. Amber was airlifted to University Hospital, where she died at about 6:30 pm. San Antonio Animal Care Services took the unneutered pit bull into custody. The child's father, Robert Jones, said the family who owns the dog did not contact his family to express sorrow for what happened. The dog's owner, Jesse Banda, 29, told a media outlet that his dog "Chuey" had played well with toddlers before. He didn't know why the dog "suddenly snapped." The dog was euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 12, 2007 | Chained: | Undetermined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Linda Mittino, 69-years old, was killed by her family's German shepherd. St. Louis County police officers were called to her residence in the 8900 block of Arvin Place at 10:30 am to investigate a suspicious death. Mittino was discovered face down on the floor in her bedroom. Her family believes she was attacked overnight, while they were sleeping. The same dog, "Bear," had attacked her three months earlier, requiring a long hospital stay and plastic surgery. But Mittino thought the dog deserved another chance. The dog belongs to her son Joe Mittino, who lives with Mittino and her wheelchair bound husband. Bear's registered name is Baron von Valentine. He was the seventh German shepherd the family had kept as a pet over the years. Mittino also kept a greyhound and eight cats. Joe's sister, Lisa Boenzle, said the dog attacked her husband last year. He sustained serious bite injuries and went to a hospital for treatment. "The dog needed to be put down after the first attack," she said. St. Louis County Animal Control took the dog into custody. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 15, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | German shepherd | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Son |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Matthew Johnson, 6-years old, was fatally attacked by two rottweilers. The attack occurred just before 5:00 pm in the 9000 block of Penguin Road. The boy was transported to VCU Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Henrico police said. Authorities seized seven rottweilers from the home, but only two were involved in the attack. Both rottweilers, ages 2 and 4, were female and had been purchased by his family just four days earlier from a Massachusetts dog breeder on Puppyfind.com. The boy's father, Paul Johnson, surrendered both for euthanasia. He also agreed to "give up" his other five "award winning" rottweilers, as this would be akin to keeping a loaded gun in the house after one of his boys accidentally shot his brother. According to Johnson, all of the dogs were housed in individual crates inside the home. He'd just let the new pair, Ava and Kenya, into the backyard to relive themselves. Unnoticed, Matthew slipped into the backyard where he encountered the lethal dogs. By the time Johnson realized Matthew was missing, it was too late. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 24, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Female | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Taylor Kitlica, 18-months old, was killed by a chained rottweiler. Escambia County Sheriff's Major Mike Murphy said deputies were dispatched to the child's home in the 2000 block McGougin Road at approximately 5:00 pm Sunday. Deputies found the two injured children at the home. The large male dog was still chained nearby. Murphy identified the victim as Taylor Kitlica. Her two-and-half year old brother was injured, but survived with minor injuries. Murphy said Taylor suffered "massive head injuries." Investigators said her family found the male rottweiler roaming the neighborhood that morning. In hopes its owner would see it, they chained it in their front yard. The Kitlicas own a female rottweiler that was tethered a few feet from the male. Two pit bulls, also belonging to the family, were in the yard when deputies arrived. At the time of the attack, the father was working on a vehicle in the yard just feet from where the male dog was chained. The dog was unneutered and unsocialized, according to Renee Jones, the director of the Escambia County Humane Society. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 28, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Unreleased |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
Robynn Banks, 2-years old, of Lithonia, was mauled to death by two dogs while visiting a relative's home in Stonecrest. At approximately 2:50 pm, the DeKalb County Police Department was notified that a 2-year old girl was found dead outside of a fence of a backyard on Zinzendorf Drive in an area off Snapfinger Road in southeast DeKalb. Police said the dogs, a pit bull-mix and a mastiff-mix -- also described as a boxer-bullmastiff mix -- escaped from a fenced-in area at a home Banks was visiting. Police continue to investigate how the dogs got outside the fence and whether any adults were with the child at the time. "We are checking to see whether any animal services or neglect issues may have contributed to the case," Police spokesperson Michael Payne said. DeKalb County Animal Control officers took custody of both dogs. The animals were euthanized and their bodies were sent to the University of Georgia for examination, according to a spokesperson for the DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office. No criminal charges were filed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 16, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (1) Mastiff-mix (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Relative |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
Pamela Rushing, 50-years old, was killed by her own dogs. Landscapers found her body around 5:45 pm in the backyard of her home in the 300 block of Meadow Trail Court. They saw her lying in a pool of blood in her patio area, but they could not enter the yard due to three aggressive dogs. A Friendswood police officer shot and killed one of the dogs, a pit bull-mix, after it charged him. The other two dogs, a golden retriever and Australian shepherd, were captured. Friendswood Animal Control took custody of both dogs. The Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the cause of death "dog attack." Police said Rushing had been dead for about four hours before being located. Police determined the pit bull-mix -- also described as catahoula-bulldog mix4 -- was the primary attacker. The dog "Cowboy," had belonged to Rushing's mother. After she died earlier this year, Rushing took over the care of the dog. The golden retriever was declared vicious and put down. At least one of the bites found on her body matched that dog, a report showed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 17, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (1) Golden retreiver (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Carolina Sotelo, 2-years old, was killed by her family's pit bull. The attack occurred outside her home in the 2200 block of Bois D'Arc Road in Combine, a town that lies on the Dallas-Kaufman county line. About 3:45 pm, after receiving a 911 call, the Dallas County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene. Neighbors said the father told paramedics he was using the weed trimmer while his daughter rode her tricycle. The family's male pit bull was chained nearby. All of a sudden, Sotelo was on the ground, and she and the dog were covered in blood. Witnesses said the first officer on the scene, Combine Senior Patrol Officer Michael Henderson, was so shaken, he spent much of the afternoon crying. Pro Tem Paul Norman called her death a "tragedy." Norman used to own a pit bull but said he never would again because "they're basically insane." The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office said Sotelo's injuries included a neck fracture. Officers transported the dog to the Balch Springs animal shelter. The family also owned a female pit bull and a litter of puppies. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 22, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
Brian Palmer, 1-year old, was killed by a family pit bull. On April 23, Dorchester County sheriff's deputies responded to an apartment on Hunter's Ridge Lane after a pit bull escaped a laundry room and attacked a baby. The boy died the next day at Medical University Hospital from bite wounds to his neck and airway. Police said the dog had previously killed a cat and attacked other dogs. After escaping the laundry room, the dog chased a teenager to an upstairs bedroom, then latched onto the baby's neck. The child's mother, Natasha Wilson, was charged with felony unlawful conduct toward a child. The Department of Social Services had long interacted with Wilson's family before the fatal mauling. On the day of the attack, there were four other children in the home, ranging from 2 to 16 years old unsupervised. Wilson left the baby under their care to see about some rental housing. The conduct of leaving the baby in the care of minors continued after repeated visits by DSS. Wilson had taken in the 2-year old pit bull, "Princess," as a stray about seven months earlier. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 24, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Female | Owner of dog: | Mother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Celestino Rangel, 90-years old, was killed by two pit bulls while he slept. The attack occurred in the 1900 block of West Ashby Place. The owner of the pit bulls, Sarah Green, is a relative who started living at the Rangel home. Around 11:30 pm, Green secured her two pit bulls, "Captain" and "Dookie," in the backyard before leaving to go to Walmart. Rangel was sleeping in his room. Rangel's caregiver, Alejandra Haynes, arrived an hour later with her daughter and witnessed the grisly scene. Rangel was lying blood-soaked in the living room, and the dogs were blood-soaked behind him. When San Antonio firefighters arrived, they opened the back door, and the dogs ran out, allowing them to reach Rangel. The dogs had dragged Rangel from his bedroom, ripping and tearing his flesh, then mauling him in the living room. Blood was everywhere. "This is the worst I've seen in my career," acting Lieutenant Robert Jacinto of the San Antonio Fire Department said. Green later told police her pit bulls knew how to open the back door. Rangel died at University Hospital on May 18. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 18, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Relative |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
Magdelena Silva, 95-years old, was brutally attacked by at least one of her two male dogs, a doberman pinscher and German shepherd. She was doing chores outside of her Lower Valley home when the animals attacked, according to family members. She died on scene as a result of her injuries. Family members said that both dogs had been with the family for eight to 10-years and that only the doberman, named Canelo, was involved in the attack. The dog also injured the victim's daughter who tried to intervene. Authorities euthanized both dogs. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 25, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Doberman pinscher (1) German shepherd (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Carshena Benjamin, 71-years old, left her Golden Gate Estates home that day for a morning walk. She was later found face down in a ditch so badly mutilated that she could barely be identified. Months later, the owner of the two suspected pit bulls, Shirley Fay Newell, confessed to police that her friend Linda Billie washed the blood off the dogs after the attack then dumped the animals at distant locations. Billie's dog, a Welsh corgi, was also involved in the attack and relocated by Billie after the attack. No criminal charges were filed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 25, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-boxer mix (2) Welsh corgi (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Dandre Fisher, 3-years old, and his mother were visiting a friend in the New Gannam housing area at Hunter Army Airfield when he was killed by two pit bulls. Her son momentarily left her side. When she went outside to find him, she saw him in the neighbor's fenced yard being dragged around by two pit bulls. Dandre was rushed to the hospital, but did not survive. Army investigators declined to press charges against the dogs' owner. They determined the young boy climbed the chain-link fence into the neighbor's yard. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 26, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Property Owner |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Phyllis Carroll, 63-years old, had two chow-mixes, a male and a female. The dogs came from the same litter and shared the same age, about 1-year old. The dogs were a gift from another family member. When Phyllis went into the backyard to give the dogs some treats, the male dog attacked her. There were eight sets of bite marks on her body, including her throat. The coroner determined that Phyllis bled to death. Friends said Phyllis kept the dogs in her backyard and had grown increasingly concerned about their aggressive behavior. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 17, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Chow-mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Mary Bernal, 63-years old, had been staying at her sister's house in Deltona for about a month when she was fatally attacked by her brother-in-law's pit bull. The attack began after she picked up a small dog. The male pit bull attacked her face then latched onto her scalp, ripping it off. The dog repeatedly attacked, according to witnesses. When her sister intervened, the dog turned on her and tore off both of her thumbs as she wrestled with the dog. The sister's husband and owner of the dog, Eliasar Macias, said he had never seen his pit bull "snap" before. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 29, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Brother-in-law |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Tiffany Pauley, 5-years old, was mauled to death by a chained rottweiler in an unfenced yard. Tiffany, who had Down Syndrome, was discovered just a few houses down from her home by a search and rescue team. At the time of the attack, the little girl's mother and sibling were sleeping. Her mother, Florence Pauley, was later charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct in connection to her daughter's death after admitting she had been using methamphetamines in the hours before her daughter wandered away. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 12, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Trey Paeth, 11-months old, was mauled to death by two dogs while visiting the home of a family friend. The toddler and his parents were at the home of Allen McCaffrey just outside of Cookeville when the attack occurred. Trey was in a playpen in a bedroom when McCaffrey's two Siberian huskies tore through the siding and killed the boy. The adults were in a different part of the house and did not hear the attack, according to Putnam County Sheriff’s Detective Jimmy Patterson. Both dogs were destroyed. No charges were filed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 23, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Husky (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Saben Jones-Abbott, 6-years old, was killed by a chained pit bull his father had recently acquired. According to authorities, the boy was last seen feeding the 6-month old dog outside his home on East William Street Extension in Bath. 15-minutes later, his father found him unconscious near the dog. He was taken to Ira Davenport Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officials had previous warned the boy's father, William Abbott, about supervising his child around this dog. He was charged with endangering the welfare of a child. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 29, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Father |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes (MISD) |
Zachary King Jr., 7-years old, was viciously attacked by his family's pit bull. The dog clamped onto his neck, killing him. The dog had previously bitten people six times leading up to the boy's death. At the time of the fatal attack, the male dog was chained to a pole in the basement of the family's home. The boy's father, Zachary King Sr., shot the dog after it killed his son. The family also had a female pit bull and five puppies. The boy's father, Zachary King Sr., was charged with second-degree manslaughter. A judge later acquitted the father. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 16, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Father |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Elijah Rackley, 15-months old, was mauled to death by a chained dog his grandfather had recently taken in. The female chow-mix subsequently had puppies. Just before the attack, Elijah was with his grandfather in the backyard. The child walked behind him and picked up one of the puppies. At that time, the boy was about 15 feet away from the doghouse where the mother was chained. The grandfather went to get a few boxes and when he returned, Elijah was gone. He frantically searched for him and found him lifeless in a hole the dog scratched in the ground. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 18, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Chow-mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Female | Owner of dog: | Grandfather |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
Scott Warren, 6-years old, was killed by his pet pit bull. At the time of the attack, Scott was watching television with his 13-year old sister when his pit bull, named Tippy, leapt off the floor and attacked him. His sister screamed and their mother rushed in from another room. "It took her 10 minutes to get the dog off him," said Joe Warren, Scott's grandfather who lives with the family. The victim had raised the 1-year old dog since it was 4-weeks old. Scott died while en route to Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 31, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Kylie Cox, 4-months old, was attacked and killed by a rottweiler. The mother, accompanied by a friend, arrived at a home where about 15 people were gathered. She set the car seat down on the floor with Kylie in it and stepped away to warm a bottle. The mother's friend had just unbuckled the child when the rottweiler approached and attacked the baby. Jason Winters and Christopher Fura, who brought the dog to the home, had acquired the dog 10 days earlier. Both were charged with involuntary manslaughter and child abuse. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 12, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Boyfriend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Cheryl Harper, 56-years old, was walking down a gravel road near her home when a pack of American bulldog-mixes attacked and killed her. The owner of the dogs, Diane Cockrell, had at least 10 of these dogs at her residence. On the day of the attack, half of them managed to escape her property. Just a short while later, the same pack of dogs killed Edward Geirlach on his front porch. Both attacks were extremely violent and happened in such a short time span that authorities could not determine which victim had been attacked first. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 13, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | American bulldog (4) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Edward Gierlach, 91-years old, was struck down in the same attack. Edward's son, Eugene Gierlach, found his father's body lying in his driveway, stripped of clothing and covered with bite marks. He said his father's body was missing flesh on his leg, including a portion that was "just bone." Both families filed a civil lawsuit against Cockrell; a criminal trial also ensued. In September 2008, Cockrell pleaded no contest to charges of possessing dangerous animals causing death and was sentenced to a minimum of 3.5 years in prison. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 13, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | American bulldog (4) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Karson Gilroy, 2-years old, was killed by his neighbor's chained dog. The boy was staying at his grandfather's house under the care of his aunt when he slipped away unnoticed. Police and rescuers found the toddler about an hour after being reported missing. He had wandered into the neighbor's yard where two German shepherds were chained. One attacked and killed him. Karson died as a result of injuries consistent with dog bites around the neck and scalp, according to the medical examiner's report. He also suffered tearing injuries from the chain. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 25, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | German shepherd | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Tina Canterbury, 42-years old, was killed by her two red-nosed pit bulls she had raised since they were puppies. Tina was found lying in her backyard with her two pit bulls, Rebel and Thor, standing over her. She had been bitten in the face and upper body and was dead by the time deputies arrived. The dogs also attacked her son who tried to help her and a sheriff's deputy before both dogs were shot and killed. Both dogs were neutered and lived indoors. Her cousin, Bill Canterbuy, told police the dogs often slept with her at night. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 2, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
A 73-year-old Pahrump woman, whose identity was not revealed, was killed after being attacked by eight wolf-hybrids that were owned by her son. The attack occurred as the woman walked into her backyard where the animals were secured within double fencing. A neighbor, however, said that the wolf-hybrids were so tall they could be seen over the top of the fence line. Neither of her sons was home during the attack. Owning wolf-hybrids in Nye County, Nevada is legal. One only needs a license just like a regular dog. All eight dogs were euthanized on site. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 5, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Wolf-dog hybrid (8) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Son |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Rosalie Bivins, 65-years old, was mauled to death by a pack of pit bull-mixes on a rural road as she used her walker to reach her mailbox. A postman saw the attack and tried to help, but was forced back into his vehicle by the aggressive dogs. He summoned a neighbor who grabbed his shotgun; they rushed back to the scene. While two other neighbors fought to get the dogs off her, the armed neighbor shot and killed one of the dogs, the rest fled. Rosalie's son-in-law, who denied owning the dogs, shot the remaining dogs after they fled into the woods. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 15, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (6) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Unknown |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Tori Whitehurst, 4-years old, was killed by an American bulldog named Kane. Tori and her older sister were playing in the backyard with Kane and three small dogs, when Kane suddenly attacked her. Tori's family had adopted Kane about 5 months earlier, in June, through an unnamed party. That person had adopted the dog in April from the Arizona Humane Society (AHS). Three behaviorists had evaluated the dog before releasing it. The dog "showed no signs of arousal and no aggression whatsoever while in AHS custody," stated AHS. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 5, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | American bulldog | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Seth Lovitt, 11-years old, was mauled to death by his grandmother's pit bull. Seth and his brother were "running through the house yelling" when the dog suddenly leapt off the couch and latched onto Seth's neck. The boy's mother and grandmother got the dog to release the child then called 911. He was transported to Darnall Army Medical Center at Ft. Hood where he later died. In August 2009, a grand jury indicted both his mother and grandmother on one count of manslaughter and a count of reckless serious bodily injury to a child. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 6, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Grandmother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Jennifer Lowe, 21-years old, was left alone in a house when her friend's two pit bulls attacked and killed her. She fought back both dogs as they tore away her face, neck, shoulder and arms. Jennifer died shortly after reaching the University of Tennessee Medical Center. She did not lose consciousness until her death. Prior to the attack, animal control officers had visited the home 5 times; both dogs had been legally designated "dangerous." Because the attack occurred inside the dog owner's home, the owner faced no criminal penalty. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 12, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Cora Suehead, 61-years old, was found mauled to death by animals near her home. Authorities removed 4 pit bulls from the property to undergo DNA testing. Just 16 days later, Cora's daughter was found dead in her Auburn, California home. Close friends believe that her daughter, Tammy Cummins, was despondent over her mother's death and died of a broken heart. Seven months later, forensic tests confirmed that the pit bulls killed Cora. On the tail of the test results, another tragedy occurred. Walter Suehead, 70, Cora's husband, died of natural causes. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 4, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (4) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Relative |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Holden Jernigan, 2-years old, was mauled to death by his grandmother's pit bull. According to police, the boy wandered into the backyard where the 40-pound male pit bull was either loose or chained; the dog was attached to a long chain when authorities arrived. The dog latched onto Holden's throat and head and inflicted fatal injuries. The grandmother had two "Beware of Dog" signs in the front of her home. Authorities later charged the grandmother, Tracey Shelton, with unlawful conduct towards a child. She had fallen asleep while watching the boy. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 13, 2007 | Chained: | Unreleased |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Grandmother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Blanche Brodeur, 76-years old, was found face down with severe head and neck injuries on December 17. Police determined she was brutally attacked by her son-in-law's pit bull while trying to feed the animal. Brodeur had agreed to take care of five pit bulls belonging to her daughter Joan and husband Thomas Robinson while they were in jail. Both were arrested and jailed five days before the fatal attack after a drug raid to their homes on December 12. Police eventually shot and killed the chained pit bull. Brodeur was pronounced dead on scene. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 17, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Son-in-law |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Kelly Caldwell, 45-years old, was mauled to death by up to three pit bulls late Christmas day while walking near her home. A resident heard the attack and called police. By the time first responders arrived, it was too late. Kelly was pronounced dead after reaching the hospital. DNA tests confirmed that two pit bulls -- shot dead on scene by deputies -- were involved. In 2008, the dogs' owners, Jeffrey Dwayne King Jr. and John Allan Peterson, were charged on suspicion of failure to control a mischievous animal resulting in death, a felony. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 25, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Property owner |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Deaths involving minor dog bite injury, dog-related caused injury (killed by a car while fleeing a dog) and cases that lacked a "reasonably clear" determination of death after dog bite injury are not included in our fatality statistical data. Deaths involving fatal non-bite injury (struck by dog death) or deaths due to untreated severe dog bites (sepsis) may be added to our statistical data at a future time.
Fatal Pit Bull Attacks: An archive of U.S. fatal pit bull maulings from 1833 to December 2024, maintained by DogsBite.org.
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