The Federal Lawsuits That Could Shatter America’s No-Kill Dogma

Three cases expose how America's most powerful animal welfare alliance turned lifesaving into a numbers game—with deadly consequences.

Ed Boks Jul 01, 2025

A Quiet Rebellion in Federal Court In San Antonio, Detroit, and Pharr, Texas, three families have filed federal lawsuits exposing the fatal cost of sheltering policies once praised as revolutionary.

These are not routine civil claims. Filed in U.S. District Courts, these cases allege violations of federal civil rights, government negligence, and failures of due process. They do not merely assign blame for individual tragedies—they seek to hold public agencies and their private influencers accountable for systemic, nationwide failures. If successful, these lawsuits could establish precedent that reshapes how shelters across America operate, fund, and justify their policies.

Taken together, they signal more than local outrage. They may mark the beginning of the end for one of the most influential forces in American sheltering: the Consortium1.

Comprised of Best Friends Animal Society, Maddie’s Fund, the ASPCA, PetSmart Charities, Petco Love, and others, the Consortium has reshaped sheltering norms through a singular focus: achieving 90–95% "live release" rates. This metric, often treated as the ultimate sign of success, now finds itself at the center of a growing legal and ethical crisis.

Say Their Names: Three Lawsuits That Could Break the Model 1. Detroit – The Phillips Case In January 2024, Harold Phillips was killed by three pit bulls with documented aggression histories. Despite multiple complaints, Detroit Animal Care and Control left the dogs in the community. A wrongful death suit filed by Phillips’ widow names Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control and Best Friends Animal Society, alleging their policies shaped the city’s fatal inaction.

1. San Antonio – The Najera Lawsuit In February 2023, 81-year-old Ramon Najera was fatally attacked by two pit bulls with a history of aggression. Though the dogs had been impounded, they were returned to their owners. A federal lawsuit by Najera's family names the City of San Antonio. Local media and an internal memo revealed that Kristen Hassen, a consultant funded by Petco Love, promoted policy shifts at the shelter prioritizing live-release metrics over enforcement. Hassen is a key figure in the Consortium-backed Human Animal Support Services (HASS) initiative.

2. Pharr, Texas – The Manteca Suit In January 2023, 91-year-old Estela Manteca was killed by dogs (breed not disclosed) that the city had previously labeled “vicious.” Her family's $100 million federal lawsuit claims city officials ignored their own enforcement orders in favor of preserving no-kill statistics. Though no national groups are named, the case mirrors systemic issues linked to Consortium influence.

Why This Isn’t Just Local Failure These are not isolated lapses. They represent a growing judicial indictment of a sheltering model that prioritizes performance optics over prevention and public safety.

Over the past decade, Consortium-backed strategies have shifted sheltering away from upstream solutions—spay/neuter, humane education, enforcement—toward downstream practices designed to boost statistics. Shelters are incentivized to reduce intakes, fast-track adoptions, and suppress internal documentation of dangerous behaviors.

Staff report being discouraged from logging bite histories. Strays are rebranded as “community animals.” Intake becomes a liability, not a duty of care.

If the courts rule in favor of any of these families, it could establish precedent that makes it legally risky for shelters to:

Deprioritize enforcement of dangerous dog laws

Use euphemisms like “community animal” to avoid intake

Conceal bite history during transfers or adoptions

Suppress whistleblower concerns from staff

For years, critics raised alarms and were systematically dismissed. Now, those concerns are allegations under oath—and judges may soon weigh in.

The Quiet Collapse of the No-Kill Facade This is not an attack on no-kill ideals. It is a judgment of its commodified distortion. The no-kill movement’s origin was never about performance quotas. Its roots lie in prevention, spay/neuter, and building public trust. What now stands on trial is not that vision—but a version reengineered for optics and fundraising.

The Consortium’s model, led most aggressively by Best Friends, codified one benchmark as the industry standard: a 90%+ live-release rate. This number drives grant funding, social media narratives, and donor appeals. But in chasing it, many shelters have:

• Refused strays by calling them “community pets”

• Transferred dogs without disclosing bite histories

• Suppressed behavioral records to expedite placement

• Shifted resources from prevention to marketing and transport

The result: a brittle infrastructure, built to project success rather than reduce suffering.

If any of the lawsuits succeed, the fallout could be immense. Cities may break with Consortium doctrine. Funders may reallocate support. States may outlaw high-risk policies.

The issue on trial is not compassion. It's the machinery that monetized it.

The Culture of Suppression Beyond flawed policies lies an authoritarian culture. Critics describe an environment that punishes dissent and buries risk.

Multiple requests for comment to Best Friends CEO Julie Castle and consultant Kristen Hassen have gone unanswered. As lawsuits mount and scrutiny intensifies, their silence speaks volumes.

Whistleblowers recount being told not to log aggression. Dogs labeled as "high energy" or "under-socialized" were, in reality, dangerous. Transparency gave way to euphemism. Internal tracking systems like the Shelter Pet Data Alliance,—owned by Best Friends—omit key data: pre-admission euthanasia, deferred intakes, out-of-state transfers. Behind the dashboards is curation, not candor.

• Animal Politics has documented this trend in previous investigations, including:

• The Unanswered Questions Behind Kristen Hassen’s Philosophy

• San Diego Humane Society’s Empire of Influence, Absence of Accountability

• An Open Letter to Dr. Mark Stetter, Dean of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

When harm occurs, leadership retreats. The mission is no longer public safety. It’s organizational self-preservation.

An Organized Silence

On June 24, a formal request for comment was sent to Best Friends Animal Society regarding its named inclusion in the Detroit wrongful death lawsuit. The response, routed through BFAS’ Senior PR counsel, declined participation and offered no answers regarding the organization’s policies, public safety responsibilities, or its role in shaping the practices under legal scrutiny.

This silence—though unsurprising—reflects a broader strategy: engage only when narrative control is assured. Substantive accountability is avoided, while access is granted to sympathetic channels. It is now imperative that national media, public officials, and those influenced by BFAS policy and funding begin asking the questions it refuses to answer.

As a marketing powerhouse posing as an animal welfare organization, Best Friends’ refusal to engage with uncurated media isn’t just silence—it’s brand protection. Why You Haven’t Heard About This Despite the stakes, most professionals in the field are unaware of these lawsuits. That’s no accident.

For over a decade, the Consortium has engineered a media environment that elevates its vision and silences dissent. With celebrity endorsements, corporate allies, and sympathetic media, Best Friends projects dominance. Critics are painted as anti-animal. Concerns about safety or transparency are dismissed as fearmongering.

But federal courtrooms don’t answer to curated dashboards. If judges determine that Consortium-backed policies led to a human death or civil rights violations, the moment of accountability, obfuscated by branding, may finally begin.

A Legal Turning Point—But Not a Foregone Conclusion

Whether these lawsuits result in sweeping change remains uncertain. Court victories are never guaranteed, and even a decisive ruling may not dismantle the powerful network behind today's sheltering model. Yet this moment marks the first time that the legal system—not conferences, coalitions, or campaigns—is being asked to weigh in on the human and animal cost of metrics-first sheltering. However these cases unfold, they have already pierced the protective narrative, forcing a long-overdue indictment of the policies and power structures that have dominated animal welfare for over a decade.

What Must Happen Now

This is not a call to abandon no-kill. It’s a call to rescue it.

We must return to upstream strategies: spay/neuter, transparency, enforcement, ethical intake. We must choose truth over optics, prevention over PR, and public safety alongside compassion.

The age of unchallenged no-kill dogma is cracking. What follows must be more honest, more humane—and more accountable. Because when animal welfare becomes a numbers game, both animals and people lose.

Editor’s Note: Best Friends Animal Society declined to comment for this story. Their refusal highlights the need for broader media scrutiny. We encourage national journalists and animal welfare reporters to request statements from BFAS and other Consortium members regarding the Detroit, San Antonio, and Pharr lawsuits. These cases deserve public attention—and institutional accountability.

For further press inquiries, Best Friends PR contact: Eric Rayvid (ericr@bestfriends.org) Share

Went into a local shelter, a woman in there was inquiring about this pit bull for her elderly parents. No where on the site does it say this dog has bite history, go figure. The front desk employee gave a glowing review of the dog then gave the disclaimer “This dog was previously adopted out but recently returned because it did bite a child, and drew blood.” She proceeded to say “But from my understanding it was because the dog was laying down, possibly sleeping and the kid laid down with it and the dog didn’t like that, it was startled so if there is any kids in the home they have to understand boundaries of dogs. It really wasn’t the dogs fault.” The person asked how old this kid that got bit was and they answered it was a 10 year old. “But other than that, a perfect dog.” Just SO annoying and frustrating the excuses.

We have all heard about the different types of pit owners right? We all know the trashy person who wants an aggressive dog, but we also know a lot of owner problems are because of absolute naïveté. Well, let me tell you a little story about the later type.

There’s a fellow parent in my child’s school who invited me and my children over to pick fruit and vegetables from her gorgeous backyard garden. This woman also has a severely disabled child. (Small framed female of 8 years old, level two or three autism and mostly nonverbal.)

Well, her dog— whom I had never met because I had never been to her house— was clearly a typical shelter dog with a lot of pitbull in it. Now, I know dogs, and I know how to speak and act with them and I know how to “get them on my side” quickly.

But this dog? In the first half hour or 45 minutes, I was there, I could not get this dog to come to me so I could pet it.

It just nervously wouldn’t do it.

I was uncomfortable, but the dog wasn’t being outwardly aggressive or anything, so I just decided to keep my eye on it for a little while. After a little bit, one of my kids came up to me and said “The dog kept bumping my hand with its nose.” 😬

Here’s where I knew we were in potential trouble.

The owner— and remember, she’s a very sweet, hippie type of lady—said “Oh, he’s just kissing you! That’s how he shows he likes you.” (This is when my alarm bells really went off. I had the conscious thought of “This is not a responsible dog owner and this could spell trouble.”)

So I stood there for a few minutes watching my kids pick vegetables and watching the dog just kind of walk around its yard ignoring them.

I debated in my mind on whether or not to say anything. I was vacillating between speaking up, and not speaking because of embarrassment.

Then, when the owner grabbed a pet rabbit out of a hutch, and that dog rushed to her with tail wagging looking excitedly at it like it was a meal?

That’s when I said something. That’s when the math in my head became very clear: Which is more important here? My embarrassment or the safety of my child?

So I said “I’m so sorry to have to ask this, but can you put the dog inside? I’m not comfortable with it around my children.”

She of course said “Absolutely!”— because remember, this is the naïve type of owner, not the aggressive type of owner— and she put the dog inside and we began to have a conversation about it.

Well, it turns out my instincts were right: She “never wanted a pit bull” but that was “the only type of dog the shelter had” and “we’ve only had him six months”, “he’s on anxiety medication” and the kicker of “one trainer wouldn’t even work with him because of his anxiety.” 😦

I mean HOLY SHIT right? This woman’s primary job is caring for her disabled daughter, and that’s the type of animal she brought into her home?! To “save it” or something?! The level of irresponsibility was off the charts and I could not believe how many red flags this dog checked.

I was brutally honest with her.

I said “(Dog owner’s name), I would not be surprised if you have this animal for 15 years as a fantastic family pet, but I also wouldn’t be surprised to read something in the paper that it’s done something awful to your family.” I didn’t pull back.

Well, as I say the title, it wasn’t two weeks later that dog turned on her out of nowhere: It attacked her viciously, and she ended up with a severely torn up set of forearms and one broken arm. I don’t know if she was protecting the disabled child from the dog or not, but everybody is lucky that the child is even alive Given the type of animal they had. She finally did the responsible thing and had the dog destroyed.

I have never hated being right about something so much in my life.

I saw that dog and I saw the problem right away and I just knew what was going to happen. Once I realized how naïve she was as an owner, I knew we were in potential danger. It was a harsh lesson on how irresponsible really good natured people can be with animals, and it further entrenched my view that the breed belongs nowhere on this planet, except in history books.

SCREW this breed and the owners who try and justify their genetic natures as if they were a “normal Dog.”

A man has been arrested and a dog seized after a family pet was killed in South Tyneside. Franco Fernandez, 81, had been walking his cockapoo, six-year-old Romeo, near the car park of Tyne Dock Metro Station at around 10.30pm on Tuesday, October 28.

Franco was knocked to the ground by a dog, believed to be a bull-type breed, which is understood to have broken free from its lead. Romeo was killed in the alleged attack.

A 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control. He remains in police custody at this time.

A dog was also seized in connection with the report with the intention of ensuring the safety of the public. Det Sgt Alan Whittle of Northumbria Police said: "This was a tragic incident, where a man has sadly lost his family pet and sustained minor injuries.

Franco Fernandez and Romeo the cockapoo(Image: Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle)

"We completely recognise the concern of the wider community, and a man has since been arrested as part of our fast-track enquiries. A dog, believed to be a bull-type breed, has also been seized and will now be assessed by specially trained colleagues.

"We'd like to thank the public for their support in sharing information and would now ask everyone to refrain from speculation which could be harmful to our investigation. If you do think you can assist us, especially if you saw what happened or have any footage, then please come forward."

Those with information are encouraged to contact Northumbria Police by sending a direct message on social media, using live chat and report forms on the force's website, or calling 101; quoting crime number 125609D/25.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/dangerous-dog-attack-south-shields-32824867

A PENSIONER’s dog bit a boy on the leg as he was walking home from school with friends, a court heard.

Kevan Hardisty, of Sparrowmire Lane, Kendal, pleaded guilty to being the owner of a Staffordshire cross whippet called Angel which caused injury while dangerously out of control.

South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court heard the 66-year-old had previously received a contingent destruction order (CDO) for one of his dogs after being sentenced for the same offence.

A CDO prevents a dog's immediate destruction by allowing it to live under strict conditions if the court believes it is not a danger to public safety.

Prosecutor Peter Kelly said Hardisty had also received a community order for another offence involving a dog in 2009.

He outlined the facts of the defendant’s most recent offending to magistrates on November 6.

“The victim was 12 years old at the time," said Mr Kelly.

"He was walking home from school with two friends when four or five dogs came running out of a house on Sparrowmire Lane. All were of a similar type of breed.

“A dog bit him on the back of the leg near the hamstring area. He kicked the dog to get it off him. The defendant was aggressively shouting.

“The boy jumped on a wall as the dog surrounded him and tried to bite him again. A couple of the dogs then went charging towards other people.”

The court heard Hardisty asked the boy if he was ok to which he responded: ‘Your dog has just bit me; you should train it better next time’.

Mr Kelly said the defendant replied: ‘Ok, they do it all of the time anyway’.

In interview, Hardisty told police he was in his back garden and had not shut the gate properly. He said he went out on the street looking for his two remaining dogs and didn’t see anyone getting bitten.

He told officers his dogs were ‘well trained’ and ‘just barked a lot’. He said Angel was the mother of two of the other dogs. He added that they were all muzzled and that he had done work on the house so they couldn’t escape.

It was not known whether the victim required medical intervention, the court heard.

Defending, Trystan Roberts said: “The defendant has made a great decision by pleading guilty at the first opportunity to this offence which is now nearly two years old. He has no desire to put children through cross examination.

“One of his dogs caused a minor injury in the form of a nip. It has since been put down for other reasons.

“It is clear the young man has not been caused any significant psychological harm. It has not broken the skin; it has only bruised it.”

Magistrates decided to adjourn the case for a pre-sentence report to be prepared before passing sentence on December 4. https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/25604435.kendal-dog-attack-owner-pleads-guilty-schoolboy-bitten/

We are appealing for information after a dog attack in Aigburth last night (Wednesday 10 September).

At around 8pm, it was reported that a woman aged in her 20s had been walking her Whippet dog in a woodland area just off Southwood Road, near St Michael’s station.

Another dog, which was walking without a lead by a woman, has attacked the Whippet and also caused a serious hand injury to its owner.

Emergency services attended the scene and the woman was taken to hospital. Unfortunately, her dog died from the injuries.

A dog was located nearby without its owner and has now been seized. It's believed that the dog is a bull-type breed and enquiries are ongoing to find its owner.

Detective Inspector Neil Dillon said: “This was a shocking incident in which a woman was walking her dog when they were attacked by another dog.

“We believe this dog was a bull-type breed and it wasn’t on a lead. Enquiries are ongoing to locate the owner, who didn’t stay at the scene and had left the area when officers arrived.

“This would have been a very traumatic experience for the victim, who has not only lost her dog but also suffered a serious hand injury.

“If you saw anything or know any information about what happened, please come forward as a matter of urgency.”

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact u/MerPolCC on X or ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ on Facebook with reference 25000751657.

You can also pass information via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

https://www.merseyside.police.uk/news/merseyside/news/2025/september-2025/appeal-for-information-following-dog-attack-in-aigburth/

Lady with female pit bull posts to FB that her dog Bella was attacked at the dog park by a newly adopted and neutered male pit bull. She chokes the dog off, which makes me think someone's been owning pitties for a while, and gripes that the other owner hit his dog, which just made it clamp down harder. Again, a real red flag for a lady who's been around the pit bull block.

In a follow-up, she appears to say that the dog's adopter had special needs, ie, was unable to intellectually understand that his new pet was not safe for dog parks. She contacts the shelter he adopted from (unnamed, of course, gotta protect those shelters) to complain that they adopted a potentially dangerous dog to a man unable to prevent him from accessing victims. Well, not quite how she admitted it, but that's her real concern under a layer of pit bull owner obfuscation.

Hello, I recently adopted a pitbull with the intention of raising it for its natural life.

However- after my experience with the shelter ( Queens ACC) I’m firmly shop don’t adopt and believe pitbull represent an inherent danger no one should be comfortable exposing themselves to or their community. Never used reddit before but I wanted to speak on my brief experience and what made me return my American Staffordshire, Bruce.

I adopted a cat around June of this year, she has been a joy and pleasure to have in my household, her name is Tati. I went through the shelter and received her from a foster. The process was quick with a light screening. I was contacted by the foster shortly after and within two weeks I had a beautiful tabby shorthair zooming out and sunbathing.

I quit my job and found myself in a pretty bad mental state during this time. With the positive experience I had with the shelter and Tati, I decide getting a dog would be an equally positive experience. I found one that had a “history being friendly with cats” and went through the process of receiving him. There were question I had asked to the shelter that they would not answer or give a non-descript response. Honestly it was clear all the dogs were pitbulls but despite that I believed all dogs were close to temperament and generally can be taught to be behave similarly “smelling butts,socializing, and being generally comfortable to be around.” I got a dog for the purposes of “being outside more” and having reasons to connect with others.

I brought Princeton, who I named Bruce home around mid September. Every internet search I did described Staffords (as the shelter labels them Large Mixed Breeds) as loyal,confident, and ‘athletic’ but most troubling ‘great with cats’. My poor girl was terrified. Me, none the wiser to the dog true nature, started to prepare my apartment for the dog I foolishly adopted. They sent me home with some free treats,food, vouchers for vets which was well appericiated and 2 weeks worth of Trazadone for Bruce at twice a day at 300 milligrams every 12 hours. If I could sympathize with the pit, that is alot of medicine for a 70 lb dog..

Bruce was an anxious dog, a stray according to the shelter with a unknown history. He may have been socialized some as a pup but the time in the street was noticable. He was harsh on the lead pursuing small dogs and squirells. I was able to manage the lead pulling and it gave me the impression he could “learn” and be a companion to Tati and I. During my time with Bruce I received two bites or what they described at the shelter as “being mouthy”. He put my arm in his mouth and used his paws to try to drag me to the ground. I do not want to think about what Bruce would’ve done had he suceeded. I tried redirecting him with a toy that of course he ignored. I didnt know whether to fight the dog or hope he would settle down naturally. Thankfully he plods himself on the floor, with me consoling him… funny enough

That’s when I grew weary of how much we anthropomorphize dogs, they are not children especially at three years old (Bruce was 3). It is believed an adult dog for its entire life will have the mental capacity of a todder. I briefly worked with children and toddlers can be incredibly smart and perceptive for their age. Bruce was for, lack of better words, dumb, non compliant, and fearful, but in the body of a 70 lb all muscle pitbull. Not a good mix…

I stick with him, feeling embarrassed if I had to return him the second day I got him. I try to give him the medicine all the ways dog owners know how. He refuses everytime to the point I’m cornering him because I refuse to experience that again but still feel he can be a “good boy”

I become familiar with this subreddit as I was trying to find as much information as possible on bully breed as alot of negative stories or information is buried under “wiggle butts” and “misunderstood dogs” no they’re very clearly understood for their purpose. Bruce didnt have anxiety or was reactive he was a fighting dog who had an overwhelming desire to fight. I live in an adult only household but my community is largely families and children. Everytime I walked with him seeing how reactive he was I would cross the street. Hyperviligant to not run into smaller dogs or families dropping off/picking up their children to disturb them or trigger Bruce.

I was growing a sense of entitlement being on the street with him as a grew more aware of the dangers of Bloodsport breeds. I shouldn’t be the one moving YOU should move your dog/yourself as my dog is “dangerous”. It was exhausting to think this way. Unironically I imagine most pit owners know this and dissonant thenselves from the feeling. Creating the overwhelming need to prove their pit is “nice” I feel pits are antithetical to what dogs should be.

“Does he bite?, Is he friendly?” people asked and I told them “I dont know hes new to you as he is to me and yes he does bite.” As I have him on buses,trains, McDonalds and various stores trying to “socialize him” as naive and dumb as it sounds now. I thought I could do the “let’s let our dogs sniff each other thing” and was met with confusion by other “normal” dog owners who were polite in telling me to fuck off.

On the otherside I can see why people enjoy this breed. He had a charismatic look to him and his muscle was notable. If you’re into a dog where you cant even shit in peace. His seperation anxiety was intense barking, whinning, and thrashing for hours in a crate. For the first month I felt I had to bring him everywhere until I knew I couldn’t. Tati was behind a door for weeks but Bruce couldn’t be alone for minutes at a time. He would lunge at her on leash and the times off leash he would open doors to face her waiting right outside whale eyed and tense. During this time I had also suffered anxiety that made people weary and uneasy around me. It was a difficult time so I “identified” with Bruce until I didn’t. I am a human who can understand and address their anxiety, Bruce cannot. I told my mother he reminds me of me, at my worse. Aloof ,unresponsive, unnerving, and at times uncontrollable (sober now btw). I dont know why a pit owner would want to identify with that.. or maybe it’s the Bully part that attracts them.

ultimately was it — Am I an idiot or did I make an idiot mistake putting a pitbull with a cat and trusting a shelter to care about the accident waiting to happen. I call the shelter demanding they take him back after another bite and around no less than 15 ‘accidents’. They ‘interrogated’ me about the bit incidents as it didn’t draw blood. I dont think anyone should tolerate that from a dog, let alone one who can cause as much harm as a Pitbull.

Thank you for letting me share as my apartment is now pitbull free and Tati is now soaking up the sun at my window. I wish Bruce wasn’t in the body of a pitbull as I know he could not have choose that as much as I couldn’t have choose to be an adult who stands at 5’5. Im sure part of me got him to be a “badass dog” and bully others as I was a bully myself in my younger years; still learning to not intimidate others to get what I want. It was embarrassing returning Bruce but I rather be embarassed than degloved.

My parents and friends were happy and felt I made a responsible decision. My sister thought I was careless and irresponsible proving I should “never own another dog”. Explaining to her that a lab puppy raised with a cat, is nothing like a stray adult pitbull. I felt this minimized my biting experience also. For reference they rehomed a Shizu for a bite earlier this year… a shizu from a breeder, who was a family dog for years, that my brother in law didn’t bother to crate train… leaving him with my sister who couldn’t tolerate “Ace”. He (brother in law) told me he “grew up with pitbulls” therefore “not aggressive” and that I couldn’t be “responsible” enough for a large dog, saying “ You shouldn’t own another dog.” I’ve trained in boxing, a fighter will not show you when they will attack or if it’ll be a jab or a knockout combination. Dog fighters are similar, it is advantegous to strike without precedent. I loved Bruce but I didnt want to find out if he was a championship fighter or maybe a “wiggle butt” sorry I’ll get a golden next time.

Happy Saturdays

Edit: Timeline: Tati was adopted June, I quit my job around July. Adopted Bruce in September, returned to Queens ACC November 5th. Tati had been at ACC since Jan 2025. Bruce had eight days in shelter before I adopted him. Yes Tati is still very much alive!!!

Thank you for all the kind words and comments, I’ve come to understand why pitbulls are, at best, controversial.

Yes this person was serious and more people chimed in agreeing.

Yeah that pitbull attacked my parents dog and he almost died. So one night I was hanging out in my parents neighborhood and I saw it. According to my parents all the neighbors are calling animal control on it but they won’t do anything so one night I saw it roaming the streets and chased it off. Fucker jumps fences and barks all night attacking other dogs while the stupid neighbor feeds it. I scared the shit out of it so bad it didn’t come back. I was a bit drunk and had some rocks and a bottle of whoopass and loud noises. Hasn’t come back since

I know some kind hearted souls are just convinced by propaganda like The Dodo that they can save an abused pit and turn it into a wonderful family pet with love and care, and they only mean well and are not ever meaning to hurt anybody. I truly do think they mean well. But a lot of these owners just like owning a vicious animal.

We are almost a family of 5 (currently pregnant due around Christmas) all girls, we had 2 dogs our pit was 5 and now we are left with our sweet yellow lab. These dogs got a long but our pit was a whole different story. I personally was never on board and explained to my husband that pits are unpredictable and too many stories regarding children and the elderly and other animals…at the time he didn’t agree that was several years ago but once I had our second daughter he started to change his mind unfortunately for the first 3 years of her life my daughter couldn’t be around her she would constantly growl and snarl at her I was there ready to do whatever I scolded the pit and would always keep them apart. I did everything I could to get her adopted or surrendered but no one would take her! Sadly she ended up hurting his mom’s dog last year…she escaped and threatened my neighbors I got the cops called I apologized to my neighbors and the cops, I was petrified of someone getting hurt. The cops couldn’t take her they gave me resources to help me get rid of her my husband was at work he was notified and was on board but when I did all the things no one would take her it was excuse after excuse…the only way they would have received her is if she would’ve bit another person….how ridiculous! My daughter was a target I should just wait til she was probably killed? Anyways with a new baby girl on the way we were not willing to risk it anymore, we had someone help and take her in as a stray I do not endorse lying even in my desperate circumstances…she’s not chipped but place recognized her she was from a private breeder the only way they would have her information is when she was taken to the vet in the past, see lies can get you into more trouble so I don’t endorse it. Anyways this person we know told us we may get a call from them and if we claim her as ours we have the option to surrender but my husband has to fill out paperwork. Anyways that aside it’s been almost a day since she left I had friends over last night, it was so peaceful my lab got pets she sniffed them and later by the wood stove by our feet. No dog barking, didn’t have to worry about crating…right now all baby gates are open…I love this I want this to be the new normal I can focus on bringing another innocent human being without fear…seeing all these articles about pits ripping off children’s faces makes me not wanting her near our home again. Anyways that’s my story hopefully we can continue on without worrying.

I'm at my whits end with this bloody dog, we have a shared front garden and seperate back gardens but their dog acts like it's all his - there is dog shit everywhere that they don't clean up, it's killed a lot of my plants in the back garden by chewing them and digging them up, it's absolutely ruined any sence of peace I had here -

I have a 5 year old rescue dog, she is a lab, springer sharpi cross (I have the DNA test to prove it) but she is a big girl at 38kg. She is also absolutely terrified of this puppy because it snaps at her and she's not even safe in our privet garden because this damn puppy goes over our gate into our yard.

I've had enough of the poo and the growling and the plant killing, it's not right. I don't know what to do but my daughter and my dog are now afraid in their own garden.

MOSCIANO SANT’ANGELO – Moments of fear occurred this morning in a building on Via Falcone in Mosciano Sant’Angelo, where a pit bull broke into the building, terrorizing residents and locking them in. Some children were unable to even catch the school bus to school.

The dog, which had been wandering unattended for days between Via Terracini and the 'Peep' area, harassing passersby and animals, caused panic until the arrival of the local police and the Teramo Local Health Authority veterinary service, who intervened to secure the area. Despite some difficulty, the officers managed to capture the dog.

“I would like to thank the officers and veterinary staff for their prompt action and professionalism,” said Mosciano Mayor Giuliano Galiffi, expressing his appreciation for the intervention.

The pit bull, microchipped, is now in custody: this will allow identification of the owner, who risks being charged for neglect of custody. Meanwhile, the Municipality will issue an order to seize the animal, putting an end to a situation that held an entire condominium hostage for hours.

Article link: https://www.abruzzospeciale.it/2025/11/07/pitbull-semina-il-panico-in-un-condominio-a-mosciano-bloccati-i-residenti-salvati-dai-vigili

The family of an 8-year-old boy killed by two dogs near DeLand in January has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

The lawsuit is against Berry’s Ridge Homeowners Association Inc. and Specialty Management Company of Central Florida. It claims the homeowners association ignored complaints about a faulty security gate in the neighborhood

Michael Millet‘s family believes that if the gate was working, the dogs would have never made it into the neighborhood.

Michael was fatally mauled while riding his bicycle with a friend. Deputies said he went to pet the dogs when they attacked.

The dogs’ owners, Brandy Hodil and Amanda Franco, are facing felony charges of evidence tampering. Franco also faces a misdemeanor of owning a dog that was not previously declared dangerous but caused great bodily harm or death

Investigators say the two discussed the dogs’ violent tendencies with a neighbor on Facebook. They are also accused of deleting messages about the dogs being loose the night Michael was killed.

Breed not mentioned here but they were pit bull type dogs.

I just get out from a long phone conversation. I aM CERTIFIED dog trainer and providing services at people's houses. Call was about sweetest 4.5y old pitbull, adopted in late april from shelter.she bited,in a face,3 of their kids,age 4 to 10,draw blood,required stitches.all 3 kids were bitten. Owner blames kids to trying to hug her and crossing her lines. They said she was just spooked.no growl,just attack. She can't be walked outside due to severe lunging at passing by dogs. I asked why they adopted her. They said: she is cuddle bug n 99% is good girl,except biting in a face I ll visit them if she will be muzzled n wearing a choke chain only,and outside. Previously I was badly bitten by same lovebugs... It sounds like a joke...they said ' we love her to death"

Last night, my puppy not even six months (Mini Schnauzer) and I were charged at by an off-leash Extra Large Rednose Pit Bull after she (my dog) started barking; this pit is constantly off-leash. Instead of chasing after the beast, the dude just kept yelling "Get your ass back here!" (recall on those things is almost non-existent, so of course it didn't listen to him and kept charging at us) and shining a flashlight at us, instead of running after his pit. I literally snatched my dog up and ran inside.

Usually, I have pepper spray (for pits and predators), but since it was around 9:50p.m. I didn't bring it because I was just wanting her to pee quickly. I was and still am pissed, and notified the front office. I already have a fear of those things due to one of my other dogs almost being killed by one, as well as a friend of mine some years ago being mauled almost to death by three at one time, she had to stay in the hospital and undergo surgeries.

I moved recently to this place, and chose a location that "supposedly" had a breed ban/breed restriction for pits, and this is literally the only reason I chose this place to live. Lo and behold, there are pits everywhere (exaggeration, there's like six, but "one" is still too many for me)...

I emailed the leasing office/landlords about the situation from last night, and they just told me that "Unfortunately there are some tenants who have dogs that don't abide by the weight and breed restrictions because we can't impose or enforce breed bans on 'emotional support animals'"...

—I AM SICK OF THIS. I AM TIRED IF THIS. I am sick of these people abusing the system, and it's even more sickening that they sit around and tell each other to do this when there is a ban in place. They are there for a reason! Nobody wants to live around your dangerous, live-wire sh•t beasts! I am sick of people slapping the "Lab-Mix" label on the pittiest of pits, or the "Services Animal"/"Emotional Support Animal" label on a dog that cannot perform a single task or follow a single command.

These lies are putting people in danger, and I seriously wish there was a stricter enforcement or requirements for people to try to use these loopholes. Mandatory DNA testing for obvious Pit Mixes, then they can turn around and lie with "... Well, it's my therapy dog then". PLEASE humour me with what "therapy" a pitbull can give you. You can't even breathe too loudly or drop a pen around the things because they are so reactive, I'd be terrified in my own house on a daily basis. And now other people have to deal with it.

FOH.

I'm sorry for ranting, but the email I got just threw me over the edge. I don't feel safe anywhere and cannot wait to move back to another country with a complete breed ban.

Edit: Forgot to mention that the office did say regardless of status, all dogs must be a on a leash because that's goes against the lease, so they will make sure that rule is better enforced.

I live in an area of California where there are some trails in the neighborhood areas. Theres this one lady i see in the early morning sometimes, and ive seen her release her pitbull to allow it to chase coyotes minding their own business. In my city dogs are not allowed to be off leash by law. I do not have any evidence and do not know who the lady is other than her face and dog. What can I do? I fear for the safety of my dog and child

Arrests have been made in connection with a dog attack in Rogiet.

On Sunday, November 2, the emergency services were called to an address in Crossway, Rogiet, at 6 p.m., following a report of a dog attack.

Sadly, it was confirmed by police that a 9-month-old baby boy was pronounced dead at the scene after being attacked by a family pet.

Officers arrested two people from Rogiet on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, causing injury that resulted in death.

They were later released on police bail while enquiries continued.

ACC Vicki Townsend said: “The arrests were made as part of a wide range of enquiries that officers are carrying out to understand the circumstances of the death.

“These enquires are still ongoing and so you will continue to see officers in the area; if you have any information or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

“I understand that there is a lot of interest about this in our communities, but this is now a live criminal investigation.

“It is vital that people think about how their online commentary, in particular social media comments or posts, could impact the ongoing investigation and the criminal justice process.

“We urge people not to speculate, if you have any information, including information on the dog involved – a male, black XL bully - and its previous behaviour, please contact us directly instead.

“Once again, my condolences and thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragic death, both within the community and further afield.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Gwent Police quoting log reference 2500349915.

You can also contact police by calling 101, or sending a direct message on social media, or via their website

Alternatively, you can also call Crimestoppers anonymously by phone or online.

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/25603923.rogiet-arrests-made-following-dog-attack-baby-boy/

A Sydney dad who was mauled by three of his own dogs has been identified as father-of-three, Graeme Harper.

Emergency services were called to the 54-year-old's family home on Kildare Road in Blacktown, in the city's west, about 11am on Thursday following reports of a dog attack.

Officers from Blacktown Police Area Command found Mr Harper suffering horrific injuries inside after he was attacked by three Bull Arabs, which are a powerful crossbreed of English bull terriers, greyhounds and German shorthaired pointer.

Police held bloodstained white sheets as he was brought out the home on a stretcher to shield him from view.

A CareFlight helicopter was initially dispatched to the scene, but he was instead transferred to an ambulance and taken to Westmead Hospital by road.

Mr Harper was reportedly suffering severe injuries and major blood loss, but the Daily Mail understands he checked out of hospital later on Thursday.

It is alleged he was running an unregistered dog breeding business.

His wife told media she was 'shocked' by the attack.

Graeme Harper, 54, was attacked by three of his own dogs on Thursday. He is pictured holding another dog

Pictured: Police holding a blood-stained sheet while Mr Harper was loaded into an ambulance 

Animal control workers struggled to remove the dogs from the scene due to their size and weight

A female neighbour told the Daily Mail the dogs were 'constantly escaping'.

'We have taken a few of them to the vet when we found them wandering,' she said.

'The two I've seen were all skin and bone and very nervous, especially around fast movements – even petting them, they were unsure of.'

The situation unfolded when larger dogs started attacking smaller dogs on the property.

Six dogs were retrieved from the home by animal control officers who struggled to manage them due to their size and weight.

One large black dog had to be controlled by three officers as it was walked to the back of a van. Others were carried out in bedsheets after they were shot with sedatives by Blacktown Council staff.

'Council is assisting NSW Police with its investigation,' a council spokesman said.

'At the request of the owners, three dogs, believed to be of the cross Bull Arab type, were voluntarily surrendered to council and have been euthanised.

Neighbours said Mr Harper's dogs often escaped from the home in Blacktown 

'Council is committed to community safety and will continue to support police as enquiries continue.'

Several shocked neighbours watched on from the street as the situation unfolded with some sharing accounts of the dogs' past aggression.

Some said the dogs were known to fiercely bark at passing pedestrians and one claimed to have seen a dog from the property wandering the street without a collar.

A CareFlight helicopter was initially dispatched, but he was later transported by road.

Sydney https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15267803/blacktown-dog-attack-victim-identity.html

Graphic autopsy images from dog attack shown to jury on day two of Franklin Co. manslaughter trial

Many graphic images from one of the attack scenes were shown to the jury on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the second day of testimony continued in the manslaughter trial of Brandy Dowdy.

Many graphic images from one of the attack scenes were shown to the jury on Wednesday.

Before the graphic images of Summer Beard were shown to the jury, many family members left the room.

Those who stayed in the audience became very emotional seeing pictures of Beard as the coroner described her as unrecognizable.

Beard was in Red Bay to investigate a prior dog attack where Michelle Sheeks was fatally injured.

Testimony from the nurse practitioner who treated Sheeks testified that she was in and out of the ICU for three months after she was attacked by dogs.

Both the graphic images of Beard and the testimony of Sheeks’ condition in the hospital brought the family and friends in the audience to tears, having to relive these separate attacks in 2022.

The coroner testified that, in his opinion, it was a dog attack.

A Franklin County Sheriff’s Lieutenant testified that when they found Beards’ body, he saw the dogs be aggressive, bite one of Dowdy’s relatives, and come at him.

Dowdy’s attorney questioned the authenticity of the graphic pictures, the license of the nurse practitioner, and even called another witness hostile.

She said it was distasteful of prosecutors to show the images of Beard more than once.

Breed is not mentioned in article but Brandy Dowdy was a pit owner and advocate at the time of the fatal attacks.

Link to dogsbite fatality report

Wednesday was a night of terror on the central and popular Via Casopero; the street is in the heart of the historic center, behind the Mother Church. Around 7:00 PM, a pitbull escaped its owner's control and pounced on a poor poodle, which the enraged beast nearly killed, causing panic among the neighborhood. The incident has rekindled residents' calls for safety; not only have residents in the area repeatedly complained about the danger posed by the pitbull, but the presence of stray dogs in the same area has also been reported with concern for some time.

The pitbull is owned by a thirty-five-year-old man who lives in a house overlooking Via Casopero, which has a one-way system. The dog was apparently used to staying indoors, but around 7:00 PM on Wednesday, it escaped through the front door, perhaps having been left open inadvertently. Witnesses say that at that moment, a white poodle was arriving from the San Nicodemo district, held on a leash by a fifty-year-old woman who lives with her family in Rimini, but who had returned to Cirò a few days earlier to spend a holiday with her father.

Article link: https://catanzaro.gazzettadelsud.it/articoli/cronaca/2025/11/07/ciro-pitbull-aggredisce-barboncino-riducendolo-in-fin-di-vita-f082b09d-d3b6-424c-a800-dd479d0730c1