In the 15-year period of 2005 through 2019, canines killed 521 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.
| 2008 fatal dog attacks by breed |
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In 2008, 1 dog bite fatality involved canines from 2 or more different breeds, thus producing a death count total of 25, rather than 24. Six dog breeds each contributed to 1 death: Australian shepherd-mix, doberman pinscher, golden retriever-mix, Jack Russell terrier, Labrador retriever-mix and Old English sheepdog-mix.
Andrew Stein, 8 months old, was attacked and killed by his family's 7-year old doberman pinscher. At the time of the attack, the baby was playing on the floor and under the care of his grandmother. Upon hearing the infant scream, she ran into the room, but was unable to free the baby. She frantically alerted a neighbor who pulled the dog off the baby. Andrew's parents were not present at the time of the attack. The dog, named Maccabee, was neutered and had been living with the family since he was a puppy. The dog was euthanized at the family's request. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 3, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Doberman pinscher | 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 |
Justin Mozer, 6-weeks old, was mauled to death by his family's Jack Russell terrier. The infant was lying on a bed taking a nap when the dog attacked. According to police, his mother was bathing another child while the baby was sleeping in the same room as the dog. The baby was taken to University of Kentucky Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Fayette County Coroner's Office said the baby died of "traumatic asphyxia and blood loss due to dog attack." The baby's death was ruled as accidental. The dog was euthanized at the family's request. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 18, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Jack Russell terrier | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Kelli Chapman, 24-years old, was brutally killed by her pet pit bulls while sleeping in her home. She and her husband had raised the two dogs, a 4-year old male and 1-year old female, since they were puppies. Her husband found her dead on the couple's bed after returning from work. Responding deputies' shot and killed both dogs. This was not the first time officers had to shoot an aggressive dog at their home. In late 2006, while officers searched the premises during a drug raid, an officer was attacked by a different pit bull. Officers shot and killed that dog. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 20, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Melvin Taylor, 57-years old, was found dead after being mauled by his two pit bulls. His son discovered him lying face down on the basement floor in a puddle of dry blood, states the Detroit police report. One of the victim's two pit bulls was roaming the house. An autopsy conducted by the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death was "multiple injuries sustained as he was mauled by a dog(s)." There was "massive trauma to the front and both sides of the head," states the report. The manner of death was ruled an accident. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 18, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Abraham Tackett, 23-months old, was killed by a chained dog after wandering into his neighbor's yard. According to police, there were a number of chained dogs in the neighbor's yard that had recently been fed and were still eating. The child approached a 3-year-old husky-mix and the dog attacked. When his father began looking for him, a neighbor girl pointed him in the direction of the dogs. He ran into the backyard and found the dog on top of his son, continuing its attack. He tore the dog off and rushed his son to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 28, 2008 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Husky-mix | 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: | No |
Julian Slack, 3-years old, was attacked and killed by a pit bull. At the time of the incident, he was home and under the care of a babysitter. A friend of the Slack family had stopped by with her two pit bulls. One of them, named Killian, viciously attacked the boy. His parents pulled into the driveway just after the attack. They rushed him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Julian's mother said her son had known Killian his whole life. The following year, Camp Lejeune banned pit bulls, rottweilers and wolf-dog hybrids. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 14, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Tanner Monk, 7-years old, was brutally attacked and killed by four pit bulls belonging to his neighbors. He was found dead in a ditch about 100 yards from his home covered in horrific bite injuries. Deputies called to the scene shot and killed two of the pit bulls; the other two were captured and euthanized. The dogs' owners, Crystal Michelle Watson and Jack Wayne Smith were subsequently charged under Lillian's Law, the felony dog attack law in the state of Texas. Both were convicted and sentenced to 7-years in prison. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 18, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (4) | 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: | Yes |
Pablo Lopez, 5-years old, was brutally killed by his uncle's pit bull. At the time of the attack, Pablo was at home under the care of a babysitter when the family pit bull, named Greco, flew into a rage at a dog passing by the home. When Pablo stepped out the back door, Greco seized him by the throat killing him. The one-and-a-half year old dog had a history of being chained, but was unchained during the attack. The boy had been living with his aunt and uncle for about 8 months. Pablo and Greco had played together many times in the past. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 18, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Uncle |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Lorraine May, was brutally killed by two of her three dogs. She suffered a dislocated shoulder and too many bite injuries to count, according to police. Authorities believe May was breaking up a fight between the dogs when the attack occurred. The dogs, which she had owned since puppies, had a history of fighting with each other and were reportedly mother-and-son. One was a female golden-retriever mix, 11-years old, and the other was a male Australian-shepherd mix, 6-years old. Relatives and friends said that May had been a pet lover her whole life. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 26, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Golden retriever-mix (1) Australian shepherd-mix (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Tony Evans Jr., 3-years old, was mauled to death by his neighbor's pit bull. The boy had been playing with other children in front of his house when he wandered into the neighbor's carport where the animal was kept chained. No one heard the attack or saw the boy being dragged into the doghouse. When his family realized he was missing, they began searching for him. The dog's owner discovered the boy's lifeless body. The attack happened on the owner's property and the dog was constrained at the time. No charges where filed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 22, 2008 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | 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 |
Addison Sonney, 14-months old, was attacked and killed by her family's Old English sheepdog-mix at her family's home. Her mother, Kari Sonney, tried to stop the attack and suffered severe injuries as well. The child was airlifted to Children's Hospital of Pittsburg where she later died from injuries to her head, neck and torso. After attacking the toddler, the dog fled the family's home. Millcreek police officers tracked down the blood soaked dog with guns drawn and shot and killed it. The child's manner of death was ruled accidental. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 24, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Old English sheepdog-mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Zane Earles, 2-months old, was eaten by his family's Labrador retriever-mix puppy. At the time of the attack, the baby's mother, 17, and grandmother were sleeping in their bedrooms and the infant was in a baby swing in the living room. The father, 18, and grandfather had left the baby in the swing prior to leaving that morning. The infant had been left unattended in the swing for about two hours. Emergency responders described the scene as "horrific." The boy's mother, Linzy Earles, was charged and convicted in juvenile court of second-degree manslaughter. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 28, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Labrador retriever-mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Robert Howard, estimated to be 35-years old, was attacked and killed by a pit bull. Police said a woman came out of her home when she saw a pit bull attacking her two dogs. When she tried to stop the attack, the pit bull went after her. Robert Howard came out of his house to help. The pit bull, which was described as a "fighting pit bull," tore into Howard's calf. His friend, Isaiah Brown, said, "[The dog] just snatched and pulled all the arteries out. He was lying on the steps, and when I checked his vital signs he was already dead then." [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 14, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Unknown |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Isis Krieger, 6-years old, was brutally attacked by the family pit bull on August 12th. At the time of the incident, she had been playing with the dog, named Dozer. The babysitter, who had been watching Isis and her younger sister, tried to stop the attack and was also bitten. During the attack, two neighbors heard the babysitter screaming and ran to help. Troy Danforth shot the attacking pit bull, and Specialist 4th Class Kyle Mayeaux of the U.S. Army Alaska tried to stop the bleeding until emergency responders arrived.
Isis was taken to Alaska Native Medical Center and underwent immediate surgery. Her father, who was deployed to Iraq, was flown home on emergency leave. The family kept her on life support systems until her father could arrive to see her one last time. Upon his return, she was taken off the machines and died. The little girl suffered a broken neck in the violent attack and was declared legally dead on August 14th. The complete story of her death was not released to the media until August 18th, a day when many family and non-family members mourned. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 14, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Henry Piotrowsky, 90-years old, was brutally attacked by his neighbor's two pit bulls on July 1 as he stood in his own backyard. The World War II veteran suffered extensive injuries to his face, neck, arms and right leg; his left leg was amputated due to massive injuries. He remained in the intensive care unit at Richmond University Medical Center for 47 days. On August 6th, it was reported that his eyes rarely opened, he needed a tracheotomy tube to breathe and a feeding tube for nourishment. On August 17th, the victim died.
The owners of the two pit bulls, James McNair and Kim DiPrima, were subsequently charged with second-degree manslaughter. McNair pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 3-years in prison and 5-years probation. DiPrima also pleaded guilty and received 5-years probation. In October 2009, Henry's family filed a civil lawsuit against the City of New York seeking $7 million in damages. The lawsuit alleged the city could have -- and should have -- prevented the fatal pit bull mauling of Henry Piotrowski. In August 2012, a judge ruled in favor of the city. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 17, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Luna McDaniel, 83-years old, was severely injured after being attacked by three pit bulls while taking a morning walk. The dogs broke out of a shed to attack her. When police arrived, they shot one of the dogs and took the other two into custody. The owner of the dogs, Theo Doucet, told reporters that Luna must have "walked into his yard looking for empty cans" whereby prompting the violent attack. Luna was attacked on the street -- not on Doucet's property. Doucet was subsequently charged with negligent homicide.
Luna was taken to the ICU at Opelousas General Hospital in serious condition. Both of her ears were injured in the attack; her leg was amputated just below the knee and one arm was severely injured as well. Family members reported that she faced about 20 surgeries. It was also reported that Luna did not lose consciousness during the attack. By August 29th, Luna's condition had worsened as she fell into pneumonia and fever. Luna died on September 4th. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 4, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (3) | 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: | Yes |
Alexis Hennessy, 6-days old, was bitten by the family dog while she lay in her crib. The 3-year old husky, named Shadow, bit the baby on the head and inflicted the fatal wound. Hennessy was rushed to Morristown Memorial Hospital, where she died. Hopatcong Police Chief John Swanson said the baby's mother left the room momentarily and returned and discovered the injured child. The dog had no history of violent behavior. Hennessy's tragic death marks the 5th fatality so far this year when a baby, 12-months old and younger, was killed by the family dog. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 6, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Husky | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Cenedi Carey, 4-months old, was brutally killed by her family's two pit bulls. Police said the dogs were in the backyard of the home prior to the attack. The dogs managed to gain entrance to the home and attacked the baby as she lay in a stroller. The grandmother grabbed the baby and fled into a different room. She tried to close the door behind her, but one of the dogs forced its way into the room followed by the other. The pit bulls attacked the infant again, killing her. The grandmother was also injured in the attack trying to protect the baby. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 12, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male/Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Mother's boyfriend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Kylie Daum, 3-days old, was killed by the family husky just after being born. The dog attacked her while she was lying in a bassinet. Warren Police Lt. Don Bishop said the baby girl suffered bite marks and scratches all over her body and was pronounced dead at Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital. Bishop said the infant's father left the room briefly and discovered the attack when he returned. Fire Chief Kenneth Schick says the baby was in full cardiac arrest when the rescue squad arrived. The coroner ruled that the baby's death was an accident. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 22, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Husky | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Katya Todesco, 5-years old, was brutally attacked by a pit bull while visiting a friend's home. Initial reports from Simi Valley police indicated Katya lived at the home where the attack occurred. But her mother, Katia Todesco, said the deadly attack occurred at a friend's home. Katia said her daughter wandered into the backyard with her friend's 13-year-old daughter. The male pit bull viciously attacked when Katya "bumped into it." The dog latched onto her face and neck causing massive injuries. She died three days after the attack while hospitalized.
Police did not release information about Katya's attack until six days after she was attacked and three days after she was pronounced dead. Police Capt. Roy Jones said they did not report the incident partly because they did not find any criminal conduct in the matter. Yet two weeks later, police released a statement at odds to this: "Information obtained during the early stages of the inquiry into this incident resulted in an immediate expansion of this investigation to determine any criminal culpability by the person(s) involved." No criminal charges were filed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 26, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Iokepa Liptak, 2-months old, was killed by his great-aunt's dog while under her care. Opal Sao said she left the baby on her bed asleep and went to the kitchen for a drink of water just after midnight. Her dog, named "Penelope Rose," followed her to the kitchen. While Sao was drinking, she realized the dog had left. Panicked, she ran to the bedroom to find the dog standing on the bed over the baby. The dog also attacked the baby's mother who tried to intervene. The baby was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 5, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-shar pei mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Female | Owner of dog: | Great-aunt |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Chester Jordan, 62-years old, was fatally mauled by three family pit bulls. The victim, his daughter, Aretha Jordan, and her boyfriend DeWayne Benning lived at the home with the dogs along with six new puppies. Jordan had been living in the basement of his daughter's home with the adult pit bulls. The coroner said the victim suffered major tissue damage and was repeatedly bitten. He also said that Jordan suffered dementia and had older bite marks on his body. Delaware County Prosecutor Mark McKinney said he intended to present the case to the grand jury. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 31, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (3) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Daughter |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
Alexander Adams, 2-years old, was brutally killed by his family's pit bull-mix. At the time of deadly attack, the little boy and his younger sibling where under the care of his grandmother at their home while their parents were away. Alexander's grandmother had been walking with the dog's food bowl in her hand into an area where the dog was normally fed. The toddler had been following his grandmother into the area when the animal viciously attacked the child. The toddler was dead when first responders arrived. His younger sibling was not harmed in the incident. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 26, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Gerald Adelmund, 60-years old, was having a cigarette in his backyard when his two pit bulls fatally attacked him. He was declared dead by authorities on scene. There were no witnesses to the deadly attack. The dogs were described as a male pit bull mastiff-mix weighing 107 pounds and a female pit bull weighing 52 pounds. Nine puppies were also in the backyard at the time of the attack. The family allowed authorities to euthanize all of the dogs, including the nine puppies. The victim lived at the home with his son, daughter-in-law and their three children. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 19, 2008 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (1) Pit bull-mastiff mix (1) |
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 |
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: A growing archive of U.S. fatal pit bull maulings dating back to 1833. Maintained by DogsBite.org.
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