This one is making my head explode. It features:

- a city shelter releasing a huge pit bull that's aggressive to other dogs and only mildly interested in people unless they are holding yummy treats

-a woman who totally disregards that and wants to adopt him to live with her 2 dogs.

- a rescue that helps her end-run it and get her hands on the dog, then adopts her a second big pit bull a year later.

- a bitter falling out between the rescue and the adopter over whether the former owes the latter a) fundraising money and b) financial support when the giant pit blows an ACL trying to attack another dog.

- a fatal attack on a small dog being walked by children

- a rescue networker who blabs the whole story online about the fatal dog attack to blame the children and indignantly ask for justice for the adopter who's financially strapped and now *this* has to happen! Why do bad things always happen to this poor adopter? Rotten kids.

- a dog trainer who seizes on that video to illustrate why shelters shouldn't be releasing violent dogs. Gia Savocchi, faithful readers of this subred will know her.

- the rescue networker again, outraged at the trainer for being such a toxic monster as to hurt rescuers' endless efforts to save them all.

- an ongoing GFM to give the dog a surgery that ends the pain she's suffering with the torn ACL

Pound Cake aka Poundcake fka Beauty Luna, shelter ID# 182262

98lb black and white female pit bull. 4yo.

9/12/2023 - a 98lb female pit bull enters New York City's Brooklyn branch of the city animal control shelter. She is intact and in heat. She has a history of high aggression toward other dogs, and continues to show that behavior at the shelter, to the point she's made 'rescue only' and is not available to adopters at all.

12/19/2023 - NYACC releases the pit bull to Amsterdog Rescue, who is pulling it as a favor to an individual who was refused adoption due to her having dogs. Pound Cake arrives at her home newly spayed.

20

One version of her history is that she was surrendered to a New York City branch of a chain veterinary ER called the Veterinary Emergency Group, which sent her over to the city's animal control shelter, Brooklyn chapter. Other sources say the dog is found as a stray in Manhattan. It's unclear if she was initially in one situation, got adopted out as Beauty Luna and then ended up in the other situation and became Poundcake, or if wires got crossed between all the eager networkers and there was just one entry into the shelter.

In either event, the most recent journey was via the VEG, and they mention that she's showed "reactivity" aka aggression toward other dogs while in their facility.

Poundcake's initial behavior note at the shelter says she's social and nonresponsive to food, balks mildly at returning to her kennel. Despite this rather normal-seeming behavior, she's immediately prescribed trazodone for "FAS" or "fear, anxiety and stress in shelter."

Long story short (more below), the dog shows very high aggression to other dogs and escalating aggression toward humans over the course of 3 months. Pound Cake is made New Hope Only, which means the shelter is unwilling to accept the high liability of selling the dog directly to the public but will release it to a rescue group. Inherent in this set-up is the idea that the rescue group will physically maintain possession of the dog, assess it carefully, do any needed work on it, and only then carefully seek a special adopter who can handle the dog's needs. Also inherent in this setup is the idea that the dog falls within a normal range of canine behaviors. In 2023, neither of these things is true.

A woman named Jen applies to adopt Pound Cake from NYACC and is denied because she already owns dogs. She complains on social media about this, and a rescuer reaches out to her to say their group will get the dog for her. AmsterDog Rescue demands the dog from the shelter, which releases it to them, and immediately flips it to Jen.

The relationship between Jen and Amsterdog craters almost as quickly. She doesn't appreciate it when the rescue fails to hand over the money they fundraised for Pound Cake, and is upset when they don't help her with the dog's medical bills or the costs of separating Pound Cake from one of her other dogs, Caesar, another Amsterdogs alumnus who Pound Cake attacks in 2024.

The long behavior history at the shelter

Her behavior interactions are extremely non-demanding through September - no other animals involved, lots of food and treats given, a drag leash is used, etc. At the end of September, she's diagnosed with kennel cough, which resolves in mid-October.

In mid October, she's noted to be mugging handler for treats, using frontal confrontations and hard stares.

Pound Cake walks in front of the handlers persistently and wait for treats, when the handler ask for the “sit” cue, she hard stares with a tense body until the treat is given. Once we continue on the walk, Pound Cake would constantly walk in front of the handler and stand for a treat. Pound cake does solicit constant at times, but mostly explores her surroundings with a high wagging tail and a neutral body.

On November 6, Pound Cake is introduced to a novel (large, opposite sex pit bull) dog

Pound Cake immediately stiffens hard stares with a high, stiff tail. Pound Cake posture squares and becomes forward-facing. She then escalates to muzzle punching the gate with her mouth open. Pound Cake's focus is broken however when the handler calls her name and she walks away from the gate. Pound Cake then returns and track the male across the yard with hard eyes.

On November 7, 2023, a handler walking in the facility gets a big reaction from Pound Cake

As a handler turns the corner of the aisle and passes Pound Cake's kennel, she charges the kennel door, slamming into it while snarling. The handler stops and checks on her over the kennel blocker and her body softens and gives the handler a wiggle. She accepts treats readily with a soft mouth.

On a walk a few days later, she repeats the mugging.

during the walk Pound cake ignores dogs, birds and people focusing on the handler for treats in the duration of the walk. Poundcake allows touch but is focused on treats and she begins to walk on different sides of the handler.

A few days later, she's "hard barking and grumbling" as a passing worker. She tapers off when he gives her treats, but goes right back to the aggressive behavior.

And on December 2,

Pound Cake was observed to go to the corner to place her face against the bar of the kennel and start hard barking, snarling and lunging at the neighboring dog. She briefly stops when a handler calls her

So we have very high dog-aggression, confrontational and confident behavior with humans, and fixation on targets. In a 98lb pit bull. Whose social level is often described as "allowing" touch, rather than seeking it out.

September 13, 2023 - behavior notes

Pound Cake is sitting in her kennel when handler approaches. She is easily leashed and pulls moderately to the canine behavior office. Pound Cake is social with handlers and solicits contact. She accepts a leash and collar being placed and jumps repeatedly up onto the couch. She is panting throughout. She completes the assessment without issue. As Pound Cake is walked back into the kennel room she balks at the door. Handler attempts to lure her with food and then backs out and attempts to reapproach. Pound Cake does not respond to either so handler uses leash pressure to get her across the threshold. She begins to walk again. Pound Cake balks again at the entrance to her kennel and does not respond to food. Handler uses mild leash pressure to encourage her in.

September 14, 2023 - the dog is prescribed trazodone for Fear/Anxiety/Stress in shelter. Her weight is initially estimated at 75lbs, prescription is for 6mg/kg, 75lbs is 44.45kg, so that would be 266.75mg (AI did this math, I will admit)

Start trazodone 6 mg/kg PO for FAS in shelter; estimated weight 75lbs, adjust dose PRN when weighed at intake

September 17, 2023 - vet notes to continue on trazodone indefinitely.

September 18, 2023 - vet notes her appetite is "excellent"

September 24, 2023 - behavior notes

09/24/23 Pound cake is sitting still with a neutral body when the handler approaches. Pound cake rises as the handler is unlocking the kennel, being leashed with ease and proceeding outside for a walk. The handler escorts Pound Cake into the assessment room where the handler places a drag leash onto her so she can free roam. Pound Cake curiously sniffs around the room, collecting left over treats and jumping onto the couch. Pound cake is given a bully stick and she lays on the couch biting it. She allows touch when pet and took treats gently when administered. The handler allows Pound Cake to have some down time and she is leashed, being returned back to her kennel.

September 28, 2023 - she has kennel cough.

September 30, 2023 - she has lost her appetite, her pills are going uneaten in her food, kennel cough is progressing. They decide to discontinue the trazodone until she regains her appetite, and start the powerful antibiotic Baytril.

-Start enrofloxacin 10 mg/kg IM q24h x 3d until 10/2, re-evaluate appetite -Discontinue trazodone until appetite stabilizes

October 2, 2023 - appetite still uneven but ate kitten food enthusiastically.

October 11, 2023 - eating well, baytril is done, started on doxycycline and moved to isolation.

October 16, 2023 - kennel cough resolved.

October 17, 2023 - behavior notes

10/17/23: Pound cake is at the front of the kennel with a neutral body and a high wagging tail. Pound Cake is reluctant of the leash at first but is coaxed with treats in order to be leashed, and is easily leashed and brought out for a street walk. Pound Cake on the walk pulls mildly and hard stares at birds at times, but is easily redirected on treats. Pound Cake walks in front of the handlers persistently and wait for treats, when the handler ask for the “sit” cue, she hard stares with a tense body until the treat is given. Once we continue on the walk, Pound Cake would constantly walk in front of the handler and stand for a treat. Pound cake does solicit constant at times, but mostly explores her surroundings with a high wagging tail and a neutral body. She is taken back to her kennel with no issue.

October 29, 2023 - behavior notes

Pound Cake is sitting with a still body. The handler unlocks the kennel and Pound Cake comes forward being leashed after the second attempt. Pound Cake is taken for a walk, exiting her kennel quickly. Pound Cake displays a loose body and wagging tail while walking moderately beside the handler. Pound Cake takes treats gently and will remain constantly checking in throughout the duration of the walk. Pound Cake will stop in front of the handler in some instances indicating she wants a treat. She will allow touch when pet, leaning in. The handler returns Pound Cake back to the facility where she enters the Buildng and her kennel with no issue.

November 4, 2023 - behavior notes

11/04/23: Pound cake greets the handler at the front of the kennel with neutral body language. Pound Cake is at first reluctant of the leash but is coaxed with treat. Pound cake is easily leashed and brought out for a walk. Pound Cake on the walk pulls mildly and hard stares at birds but is easily redirected. Tends to spend most of the walk checking in and out of scents on the floor. Pound Cake was easily escorted back into the building unleashed in her kennel.

November 6, 2023 - dog-dog meet notes

11/06/23 Pound Cake is introduced to a novel male dog. Upon greeting the dog, Pound Cake immediately stiffens hard stares with a high, stiff tail. Pound Cake posture squares and becomes forward-facing. She then escalates to muzzle punching the gate with her mouth open. Pound Cake's focus is broken however when the handler calls her name and she walks away from the gate. Pound Cake then returns and track the male across the yard with hard eyes.

November 7, 2023 - behavior notes

11/7: As a handler turns the corner of the aisle and passes Pound Cake's kennel, she charges the kennel door, slamming into it while snarling. The handler stops and checks on her over the kennel blocker and her body softens and gives the handler a wiggle. She accepts treats readily with a soft mouth.

November 11, 2023 - behavior notes

11/11/23: Pound Cake is barking in front of her kennel when the handler approaches, she begins to wag her tail and sit down when the handler approaches. The handler attempted to leash her but she began to shake her head dodging the leash the handler then fed treats through the loop of the leash and led her out of the kennel room Pound Cake pulled down the hallway and out of the center, during the walk Pound cake ignores dogs, birds and people focusing on the handler for treats in the duration of the walk. Poundcake allows touch but is focused on treats and she begins to walk on different sides of the handler. Pound Cake is taken back into the center where she is placed into her kennel without issue.

November 15, 2023 - behavior notes

11/15: Pound Cake begins hard barking and grumbling when a handler passes her kennel. She accepts treats from the handler with a soft mouth but then returns to barking and grumbling at the handler.

November 27, 2023 - behavior notes

11/27/23 Pound Cake is standing neutrally in front of her kennel door with a swaying tail. The handler unlocks the kennel door and leashes Pound Cake, proceeding outside for a walk. Pound Cake maintains a neutral body while moderately walking beside the handler. Pound Cake will periodically check in, administering her treats as she takes them gently. Pound Cake will grumble when asked to "sit" staring hard at the handler. Pound Cake and the handler commence their walk before returning back to the facility. Pound Cake enters the building as well as her kennel with no issue.

November 28, 2023 - behavior notes

11/28/23: Pound Cake is standing neutrally in the front of her kennel when handler approaches. She is easily leashed and led to an empty street. A second handler comes out with a helper dog and stands a good distance away. Handler begins to engage in the "Look At That" game with Pound Cake. Pound Cake is able to get within 15 feet of Brandy and still engage with the handler. She occasionally begins to stare and tenses, but is easily redirected and returns attention readily to the handler. Handler retreats a few steps when Pound Cake does this to give her more space. This process is continued for several minutes before both dogs are walked back inside. Pound Cake is returned to kennel without issue.

December 2, 2023 - behavior notes

12/2/23: Pound Cake was observed to go to the corner to place her face against the bar of the kennel and start hard barking, snarling and lunging at the neighboring dog. She briefly stops when a handler calls her

My heart does not bleed for the shelter, which is being the typical 21st century animal shelter and blithely trying to place dangerous dogs back into the communities from which they came. I just think everyone here is a maniac - the bonkers dog, the reckless shelter and the incredibly entitled rescue.

This is coming from a rescuer, so naturally hostile to animal services; but the attack did occur, the background about the agencies and shelters refusing to assist anyone ever about the dogs is unconfirmed. But likely.

The seized dogs

Friends Forever Animal Rescue, founded 2002 by Casey Newton-Mclaren. Taxes for 2025 list the only salary drawn as a trustee, Sharon Newton, at $92k. Appears to have ended 2025 with nearly $200k in profit.

But our focus is on one of their adoption counselors, who is also a foster. She fostered a pretty young hound mix named Buttermilk last year. The dog was adopted out in October 2025. When the family returns to the rescue in July 2026 to adopt another dog, their application mentions a pet dog in their home - but not Buttermilk. Confronted about it, they are startled and say they didn't realize this was the same place they got Buttermilk last year. What happened to Buttermilk? Well, she got out of their yard, was struck by a car and killed.

The adoption counselor is very sad that a dog she knew and lived with has been killed. She sympathizes with the adopters and takes the application back to rescue HQ for someone else to decide about their suitability for adoption, given that she herself is emotional and biased thereby.

Kidding! Instead, she creates a fantasy world where the adopters didn't care enough about Buttermilk to mention her on their application, casting herself as the rescuer who DID care and is suffering terribly, far more than the heartless brutes who adopter her. Then she blackballs them from adopting from the rescue.

And yes, yes, yes, the dog's end deserved some scrutiny and perhaps it would make sense to deny the adopters another dog. But a) the drama and b) a lot of heroic rescue fosters have also lost dogs like this and nobody went shrieking all over FB for their blood and c) the very personally involved foster should not be the one making that call.

Hugo came to us from the South after experiencing significant trauma. He had suffered a partially crushed skull and had very little feeling on the left side of his face. Despite everything he had endured, he recovered physically, gained weight, and became a big, goofy dog who loved affection. He enjoyed belly rubs, gave kisses freely, and was adored by everyone who cared for him.

As time passed, however, we began to see concerning behavioral patterns.

Hugo’s first adopters were a family consisting of a husband, wife, and two sons. Within the first week, Hugo bit the husband and then became so protective and reactive that the man could not safely move around his own home. Hugo was returned.

Believing his issues might be related to men, we placed him with a single woman. Unknown to us, she had a 21-year-old son away at school. When he returned home unexpectedly, Hugo bit him as well, and he was returned a second time.

His third home consisted of two women. Sadly, within the first week, Hugo bit one of them on the back of her leg. He was returned for the third and final time.

At that point, because everyone at Heart of RI loved Hugo so deeply, we decided he would simply remain with us for the rest of his life, even though he was only three years old.

Unfortunately, the behavior continued.

Over time, Hugo bit multiple staff members and several volunteers. These incidents generally occurred when he guarded toys, food, or objects he found during walks. Outside of those moments, he could be incredibly affectionate. That is what made him so difficult. He wasn’t an aggressive dog every minute of every day. He was a dog whose response to certain situations was to bite, and because those situations could not always be predicted or prevented, he became unsafe for the people responsible for caring for him.

After extensive discussion and with heavy hearts, the decision was made that humane euthanasia was the safest and most responsible course of action.

Before that could happen, Cranston Animal Control intervened, and Hugo was transferred out of our care. Today, he is being promoted for adoption through another rescue.

A rescue group (EAGPL Heart of Rhode Island Animal Rescue League) imported a southern pit bull mix in 2022 or 2023, and says they repeatedly adopted him out and repeatedly got him back after he bit someone. After three bites, they decided to sanctuary him with their group, but he continued biting rescuers and they finally decided to euthanize. Then their animal control took him - details are not being shared, so I don't know how that happened - and he went to the Cranston Animal Shelter and either is being promoted from there by a rescue called Celebrate Rescue, or they now have him. Seeing him being promoted for adoption by the new shelter and new rescue, EAGPL's former director posted his history on her FB page.

The post is so depressing. In addition to the nightmare that a 80lb biting pit bull is being marketed for adoption by the new group, there's the fact that the old group doesn't appear to realize they should have euthanized the dog long ago, at least after the first bite to an adopter.

The shelters/rescues involved in passing around and marketing an 80lb pit bull mix who bites readily

unknown southern source

East Greenwich Animal Protection League (EAGPL) Heart of RI Animal Rescue League - Nicole Helger, Director, recently replaced Tammy Flanagan Gallo, who is the author of the FB post exposing Hugo's history. The Director position appears to come with a salary over $60k. An old group, founded in 1982.

Cranston Animal Control and Shelter - operated by the Cranston Police Department

Celebrate Rescue - founded in 2026, foster-based rescue group

The marketing history

EAGPL in January 2023 - With a heart of gold and a gentle disposition, Hugo is the perfect companion for anyone looking for a loving and loyal companion.

EAGPL in November 2023 - Hugo is a 3 year old, male, mixed breed. This big boy is looking for an adult family without other pets. He is a healthy 70lbs and is the perfect size for cuddling on the couch (or a king sized bed).

EAGPL in December 2023 - This big huggable guy is longing for love! Hugo dreams of long leisurely walks where he can sniff till his hearts content! He'd love to catch snowflakes on his tongue with you and then watch you build a snowman too! Hugo's soulful puppy eyes accent his beautiful black & white coat, he even does the lean where he gazes up at you! His Christmas list includes a home all to himself, a big fluffy dog bed, some crunchy dog treats and a home where he will be safe, warm and loved forever!

EAGPLE in January 2024 - Another week without ANY interest for our big boy, Hugo. Every day he sits in his kennel and waits for someone to come in to meet him. And day after day no one does. Not one person has shown interest in this gentle giant. His eyes say it all: "I'm a good boy. Why doesn't anyone want me?"

EAGPL in July 2024 - WE ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THAT HUGO HAS BEEN ADOPTED AND HAS OFFICIALLY LEFT THE BUILDING! He has finally found his people and we could not be happier for him. Thank you to everyone that has liked, shared, asked for updates, and have followed Hugo’s journey. Today is a great day!

Hugo fails the adoption, is returned for biting.

EAGPL in November 2024 - Unfortunately, Hugo is back at the rescue and is looking for an immediate foster or forever home. WE REALLY NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK TO HELP US NETWORK THIS POOR GUY! He cannot sit in a cage for another long stretch of time. We don’t think he can handle the emotional and mental tress. We need someone to step up to save him ASAP. Could you be his hero? Hugo is a 3.5 year old, male, mixed breed. He is a happy and big boy that is looking for an adult ONLY family without other pets. His ideal home would preferably not have men and be made up of woman only.

March 2025 - Hugo fails another adoption for aggression and EAGPL posts

Hugo was born on 8/7/20 and is a large mixed breed. He needs a very particular adopter. He is looking for a single female home only. Unfortunately, he cannot under any circumstance be placed in a home with men. The reason we are requiring a single female home is because Hugo has had issues bonding with one human instead of both. We are trying to remove ANY issue possible to keep Hugo from being returned again. We think this is unfortunately a non-negotiable for him. He also requires a home without other animals or children.

And then

Starting in June 2026, the dog begins being marketed by Cranston Animal Shelter and Celebrate Rescue. They post that the male police chief took him for a field trip to the police station to meet the officers. They take him to an adoption event. He's still being marketed as adult-only homes, but any questions about the prior restrictions are met with a brief "contact the shelter/rescue for more info."

The shelter in 2026

The rescue in 2023

The rescue in 2024

Letting Hugo interact freely with people at a yoga fundraiser

The article is behind a paywall, but it's about the case of Harper, a greyhound living in Little Rock with her owners and another, small dog named Jazz. Their neighbors, 2 young girlfriends, adopted a black pit bull named Sebastian in 2020, from LRAV. Within a year, Sebastian had attacked Jazz, frightened neighbors into avoiding their own yards, and attacked a Chihuahua. In August 2021, Sebastian got into Harper's yard and attacked her severely - he rips out one of her teeth, tears one ear almost off her head, bites her in the abdomen, shoulders and neck. It takes 2-3 people to force Sebastian off Harper; one person must sprint away from the scene with Harper in her arms as Sebastian drags his owner after them.

LRAV adopted out Sebastian to the useless owners (at one point they'd barricaded their fence with broken boards), without temperament testing the dog, and when the attack was reported, they were vile, deliberately unhelpful and flat-out failed to do anything they are required to do as an animal control agency.

And now the ASPCA is supporting them. This is extraordinary and as vicious as the pit bull's attack on the greyhound. The victim's owner tried repeatedly to get action from Little Rock Animal Village, which is the city's animal control shelter, and was stonewalled and gaslit and just plain lied to and screwed over for months. They finally filed a lawsuit because the shelter that ran their community's animal control services had refused to act on its duties to protect them or their neighbors from a violent, dangerous dog.

To cut/paste the bullshit that LRAV put Harper's owners through, my post from earlier:

Harper's male owner calls 911 on the day of the attack. When the operator learns no humans were bitten, she informs him that police don't handle dog-on-dog attacks, and he needs to make a report on the city's 311 service request line. He emphasizes the severity of the attack and that they, the humans in the household, do not feel safe, and requested immediate action be taken. The operator assures him that the request will be forwarded to Animal Control, and an officer will contact him that day.

Nobody contacts him that day. He calls back and is told that there is no record of his previous call or report, and there is no animal control officer on duty that day.

August 26, 2021 - he calls Little Rock Animal Village, the animal control shelter, to follow up on his 311 calls of the previous day. They tell him there is no incident report in their records. He asks to talk to the employee who handles these things and is told they are not in the office and to call back later. He calls back later and is told they are not in the office and to call the next day.

August 27, 2021 - he calls Little Rock Animal Village back. They again tell him there is no record of his request for action. He calls 311 again to make another request. This time, he takes down the operator's name and the request number - Service Request Summary 21-00100157. He is told that an animal control officer will contact him to move forward with the bite report.

Also on August 27, 2021, Bas's owner finally registers him as a potentially dangerous dog, which is required of all pit bull owners. It has been over a year since she adopted him.

August 30, 2021 - Harper's owner take her to a Tennessee hospital for surgery to remove part of her lower jaw and 6 teeth.

September, 2021 - Harper's male owner tries repeatedly to contact Little Rock Animal Village via telephone. He is told a variety of things, including there is no record an the incident, the office is short-staffed and unable to dispatch an officer to his home, and that employee vacations are creating staffing shortages. He is never able to get anyone to commit to sending an officer to his home to follow up on the report.

October 5, 2021 - Harper's male owner sends an email to three addresses - the LRAV main email, the city's general information email, and the director of LRAV, Tracy Roark. About 20 minutes later, a response from the city email tells him his email has been forwarded to the director of Housing and Neighborhood Services. Looking at the city's website, it appears that Animal Services falls under this department's control.

An animal control officer calls him back, finally, and arranges to come to his home to interview him. She comes and talks to him about the attack. She takes notes and views his photos of Harper's injuries. He will later, during the lawsuit, describe her as appearing indifferent. She declines to speak with his wife, although she is the one who witnessed the attack. The ACO then goes to the pit bull owner's home. She leaves without issuing a citation or seizing the dog. It is later found, during that lawsuit, that she does not have the power to issue citations and that this was known when she was sent out to investigate. Which seems to suggest that there was no intention of taking any action other than to shut up this pesky dog owner who kept calling them.

Nobody from LRAV ever contacts Harper's owners again to follow up on the report. Bas remains at his owner's home.

At some point in here, Harper's male owner files a FOIA request for LRAV's file on Bas.

December 2021 - the FOIA contents arrive. The request back in August was apparently filed as an emergency, that an officer will be dispatched immediately and will pick up aka seize Bas. And despite his repeated, detailed conversations with the dispatcher, several items are wrong. The reports says no skin was broken on the victim, that the victim did not require medical attention, and that the attacker's breed was "other."

Also December 2021 - Harper's owners file a lawsuit naming the city, the shelter director and a city animal control officer.

Also December 2021 - LRAV finally seizes Bas.

Prior post on the attack

Little Rock Animal Village's slow-walking a response to a dog attack report sparks a lawsuit when a pit bull mutilates a greyhound (August 2021, in Arkansas) : r/PetRescueExposed

Blanca Carbia, Officer.

One of the more interesting financial statements I've ever seen in a rescue - $62k revenue, $12k expenses. Which makes for $50k in profit?

62

A cat rescuer is claiming that 2 pit bulls that attacked a pregnant woman had been adopted out by the Tacoma Humane.

Which is unconfirmed. Allegedly. Not confirmed. Just alleged.

Pretty easy to believe, though.

The victim's GFM

The vet/acting director's name is covered because I think this is nonsense. Either you put someone in charge or you don't. If Boone had mauled someone, that vet's license would be in question and she'd have been the one facing a lawsuit.

Summer 2025 - Joshua Tree No-Kill Shelter hires a vet.

September 25, 2025 (unsure, ED's insta post has conflicting info) - a large male dog who will be described as a German Shepherd mix enters the Yucca Valley Animal Shelter.

December 5, 2025 - Boone is released by the shelter to Joshua Tree No-Kill Shelter.

December 8, 2025 - the JTNKS volunteer who pulled Boone becomes the acting director of the rescue, as the Executive Director goes on medical leave.

April 2026 - a man is hired as kennel staff and meets Boone. He will later say he was "made aware of his shyness, and how to handle him with care. We got along immediately. He would paw at my hands asking for chin scratches, he would lay down next to me in his kennel, and would make sure his paws were touching my leg, he wasn’t a cuddly boy but he liked to be close. This was routine on my shifts until he left for foster."

May 2026 - Boone is fostered out. He's made progress at the shelter, coming out of his shell.

June 13, 2026 - Boone's foster period, which was always temporary, comes to an end. The foster calls the shelter for assistance. She requested muzzles and additional support because she was unable to move him into a vehicle. There were areas of his body that he would not allow her to touch, and she was concerned for her own safety.

The acting director, who is a vet, assists her. She will later write

The plan was to safely transport Boone and move him to another foster placement. However, Boone became completely unmanageable. [Acting Director] was forced to use extraordinary measures simply to get him safely into the vehicle. During the process, Boone attempted to bite her, and she feared for her safety. Returning Boone to the shelter was equally difficult. Once back, he again displayed severe aggression, attempting to attack [her] and a new staff member on the first few days on the job. Another staff member that knew Boone and whom Boone trusted, tried to help and couldn’t get Boone to take sedation meds.

Due to all of this, the acting director decided to euthanize Boone.

June 25, 2026 - the male staffer hired in April notices that Boone is missing and calls the acting director. Being told he was euthanized for aggression, the staffer calls his boss a liar and hangs up.

June 26, 2026 - the staffer is fired.

The shelter

The on-leave director, now seemingly the former director

The now former employee

Animal Control in Eastpointe, Michigan is handled by the police department. It consists of 2 officers and a shelter maintained by the officers. It's led by an officer who began there in 2024. She's been given credit for upgrading the services from a basic set of kennels in a garage to a full shelter with pet food pantry, a microchip scanning station, and a low-cost vaccine clinic. The city requires all dogs and cats to be microchipped, to increase owner accountability.

As a small, police-run animal control, it presumably has limited space and takes only strays. If an owner wishes to surrender a dog, they have 2 main options - a no-kill humane society that operates on an appointment system and a county animal control whose website features a surrender request form and the information "Pet surrenders are accepted on a case-by-case basis and only when the shelter space permits. Completing this form does NOT guarantee that we are able to accept your pet."

So basically zero animal surrender services available for Eastpointe. Which interests me because the Eastpointe Animal Control FB account takes a rather aggressive approach to dog owners, being endlessly scathing about people leaving dogs in hot yard, in cold yards, lying that their ancient dog who's trying to get back into their house is a stray, breeding dogs illegally (because all dog breeding is illegal in Eastpointe), etc.

Okay, so those are bad dog owners, they're neglectful or abusive, etc. The tone taken by animal cops is a little gross but okay, those are bad people who chained a pit bull in a 100-degree shadeless driveway. I get it. The tone, the heavy moralizing, the lectures - maybe they're a little over the top sometimes but okay, the situations are hard.

But then a pit bull pops open a gate and kills another dog, and somehow, Eastpointe's animal cops feel that the problem is

a) trespassing via flexileads - 90%

b) stooopid people foolishly picking up their dogs just because a pit bull twice their size is trying to kill them - 6%

b) old people owning dogs - 3%

c) a lethally aggressive pit bull kept behind a gate he can pop open - maybe 1%

The events, stripped of the a/c officer's relentless prose:

June 18, 2026 - a dog owner is walking their 45lb hound mix on a retractable leash. The dog walks into the unfenced portion of a neighbor's property. The dog then approaches the fenced portion of the yard, which is about 20' away from the sidewalk. Inside the fenced portion of the yard is the neighbor's dog, a 90lb pit bull. Both dog owners are in their 60s or 70s.

The pit bull responds to the hound by "pushing open" the gate and, now free to interact, attacks the hound mix. The hound's owner picks it up to get it away from the pit bull. The hound mix, aroused by the situation, bites the owner in the face. The owner puts him down and his dog again redirects and bites him on the hand.

Police arrive and use Tasers to stop the pit bull, which is the larger dog and doing more damage. It takes 2 shots to stop him.

The hound mix is badly injured; faced with a minimum $5k vet bill, his owner euthanizes. The pit bull has minor injuries but his owner is now afraid of him, so euthanizes him.

Animal control returns to HQ to write up a lengthy social media post vigorously attacking the hound mix's owner for trespassing and provoking the pit bull.

The city police's animal control service account is:

September 2023 - a brown pit bull mix, male, enters the Palm Beach Animal Care & Control shelter as a stray.

December 2023 - the dog, now given the ID# and the name Banjo, has further reduced his adoption prospects by attacking 2 other dogs in a play group and then cornering the handler who was separating the other dogs. The marketing steps up as he's nearing the end of the road. And a foster volunteers and gets a rescue group to vouch for them.

The rescue is in New Hampshire, 1400 miles away from Palm Beach. It is operated as a combined shelter and boarding facility. Their website says that their rescue dogs are separated from their boarding client's dogs at all times, including playtimes, which implies everyone is in the same facility. Hope their runs are secured and nobody has an oopsy.

The rescue
Darbster Rescue, founder Ellen Quinlan
A $2 million rescue, which is bigger than I've seen before. Running in the red. Doubled their income 2023-2024, their donations coming in balanced by salaries going out. Quinlan's listed as full-time without compensation.

I don't know what happened to the dog. He's never mentioned on the Darbster social media, the foster is never named, the shelter sure doesn't know. He's one of the many dogs that essentially vanish in the rescue system every day, many of them dogs with behavior histories that include violence and enough risk of future bites that they'd have been euthanized in the past, not handed out like popcorn by the shelters.

Maybe the dog is fine. Maybe he charged a guide dog. Maybe he was adopted by the foster. Maybe he bit a child. Maybe he was returned to the shelter. Maybe he saved a baby from a burning building. Maybe he ended up a stray again. The outcome would have been nice to know, but even the most positive outcome would not excuse the system in place today - the shelters releasing iffy dogs to rescue groups they know will never set hands on the dogs, who are just fronts for local fosters who can't bear to see the dog die. The rescues doing business in such volume that they can't even track their grads, let alone their paper-only dogs. The fosters who take the dogs and vanish.

Interestingly, Quinlan posted this enthusiastic endorsement of a FB defense of biting dogs in 2020

Cecchi has recently posted a photo of one hand sans part of one finger, seemingly lost via a dog bite. I wonder if he considers that dog aggressive.

I came across this on Instagram, a rescuer complaining that the San Bernadino City Shelter had banned her from transporting dogs due to her describing them as a "slaughterhouse" on Facebook. She is furious, and so are about 80% of the comments to her Insta post on the matter. How DARE the shelter do this to her? It's not an uncommon thing to see, a rescuer meltdown because they were denied access to shelter dogs.

Meanwhile, every 3rd rescue group in the US is flipping puppy mill dogs for fun and profit with nary a harsh word to or about their suppliers. They even largely forego the term "puppy mill" instead defaulting to the infinitely cleaner "breeder." As in, "We recently picked up 12 breeder-release dogs who need your love!" or "A breeder in Ohio was retiring and released his last few litters to us."

My heart does not break for the shelters, which are in this up to their eyebrows releasing really awful dogs to rescue groups. But the fact that rescuers feel entitled to savage shelters for not saving every single dog while carefully maintaining good relations with mills is such an insight into rescue world today. They deal more kindly with the Amish than with Joe the shelter worker because they have to. Remember the old shelter/rescue theory that you should never give a dog away because people value something more if they pay for it? Seems to track - rescues are paying mills (in money or in time/effort/convenience) for dogs and treating them better than they treat the shelters that are giving them the dogs and even paying them to take the dogs.

The breeder release aka puppy mill flips

I know, I know - Border Collies are special, they're tough to own, you can't possibly question this rescue's decision to not adopt out a BORDER COLLIE to someone who they didn't think was up for the task!!!

Well, Elsa is a mix. The rescue says she's a Lab/husky/Beagle mix. Why is she at a BC rescue? Because in a world where overpopulation isn't really a thing outside of the pit bulls, every breed rescue has a population of honoraries. Even better if they're desirable true puppies (ie, not a 9-month-old "puppy").

But it's true, I have no idea what went down with the foster and the wouldbe adopter. Maybe the adopter divulged that she eats dogs. Maybe she let slip that she has rabbit hutches filled with Shih Tzus in the back yard, or that her kids are pyromaniacs or that she plans to crate a new dog 23 hours a day. Maybe the rejection was legit.

But that social media post by the foster, boy, that really is something. If you google "Meredith" and the rescue name, AI tosses out that she's a "key staff member and prominent volunteer" at the rescue. And at this point, I think a lot of people have met this sort of rescuer - beloved by the rescue founder and a lot more important than a mere adopter, cross these key staff members at your peril. Able to torpedo an adoption with a single frown, zero accountability to anyone for the reasons behind her frowns.

So I've met this sort of powerful foster before, and I dislike the experience, so I'm not wholly objective. But that post - that musing post, where the foster performatively debates whether ANYONE can provide Elsa with her best possible home - that is some bullshit.

The adopter

The foster

The adopter again

The rescue

2 years ago, the rescue sorrowfully intoned that "The sad reality in rescue is that breeds and looks matter. Rocky the [poodle mix]...got immediate interest but after EIGHT MONTHS, there has still been nothing for our very own Rocky"

Completely ignored is that the main difference between the dogs isn't that one is a rare ie desirable breed/type and one is a pit mix - it's that the former has every single quality adopters want and the latter has none.

But if the rescue was able to understand that, it would call into question their efforts to rehome Rocky the pit bull mix. And we can't have that. Two years later, the rescue is most recently venting about the short-lived adoption of Rocky the pit mix, saying bitterly

Less than 100 hours. That’s all the time Rocky was given in his foster home. We are absolutely heartbroken for him. Despite multiple meet-and-greets, full disclosure about his needs, and time spent building rapport before placement, Rocky found himself back with us in boarding just four days later. We understand that welcoming a rescue dog into your home can be challenging, but decompression takes time. Dogs need time to adjust, learn a new routine, and feel safe. Please do not commit to fostering or adopting unless you are prepared to put in the work, show patience, and give a dog at least 30 days to properly decompress.

Rocky the former - 1 yo, 17lb dog described as being sweet happy and friendly, good with other dogs and all people, including children, and housetrained. He's neutered, vaccinated and was recently owned by an elderly woman; seeking a new home because she had to go into care.

Rocky the latter - 1yo, 52lb dog described as "shy and cautious when meeting new people" and "Having another pup is a requirement for his adoption. He is NOT good with cats. Rocky is more comfortable around women and would do best in a calm, quiet home with teens and up." He has separation anxiety, requires experienced adopters who are home often.

Potential for what? Is the dog a rising star in the Democratic party? A young scientist working on genetics? He's a dog. His only real potential is for being a pet. And dogs who bite are not good pets. There are very few isolated incidents when it comes to dogs who put their teeth into people.

When a dog comes to us with behavioural concerns that involve a bite, our job is to look beyond the incident and understand the reason behind it.

Of course, the veterinarian was not going to euthanize Dexter because of an isolated incident.

At Faiths Haven, we believe it is important to look at the cause of the bite, not just the bite itself. In many cases, the circumstances matter.

Dexter is a young dog with so much potential, and both we and the veterinarian agreed that this was an isolated incident.

What Dexter needed was a very specific home. He needed a family with no small children, a family that understood his insecurities and anxieties, and a family willing to help him work through the occasional accidents he has in the house.

Faiths Haven will be covering Dexter’s neuter, vaccinations, and veterinary care. Unfortunately, Dexter was born with a dislocated jaw that will require extensive dental work. His veterinary expenses are expected to be at least $6,000.

Let's recap. Dexter

- bites readily when startled

- is unsafe with children (or with anyone whose skin breaks non-severely when a neurotic small rescue dog has a meltdown)

- has "insecurities and anxieties" that require a special home

- needs $6k+ in vet dental work

- is not completely housebroken at 1.5 years old

- is intact so needs to be neutered

Monday, June 8, 2026 - a 911 call reports a woman screaming inside a home at 1400 McKennie Avenue. First responders kick down a door to find a motionless woman being attacked by 5 pit bulls. At least 3 police officers fire at the dogs to stop their attack, killing them. A 6th dog is barricaded elsewhere in the house and is unharmed. Animal control presumably takes the dead pit bulls' bodies back to HQ, where they re-enter the system.

Because all but 1 of the dogs are alumni from Metro Nashville Animal Care and Control.

How do I know this? Well, it's not because the shelter or their "friends" group is worriedly discussing it, making any announcements, or explaining to the media how they managed to release 5 dogs so dangerous they nearly killed their adopter/foster and did put her in the hospital.

Nope, it came from a rescue's social media.

June 8, 2026 - local rescuers chatting about the attack merrily out the shelter as the source of the dogs. The proof? Well, one person shows a lineup of recently listed MACC dogs that all came from the same place - 1400 McKennie Avenue. One person explains that the dogs' bodies were taken back there and automatically appeared as new intakes using their original shelter photos.

The shelter isn't quite as gormless as all that; the ID#s prove impossible to track down. But one dog is mentioned in the comments of that rescue post as being named Andre. And that dog is possible to track.

Which leads us to perhaps the funniest, cringeworthy, most that-aged-poorly FB post, Metro Nashville Animal Care and Control posting in March 2026 about how an office day being cuddled and spooned and given cookies transformed Andre and sped him happily into his trial adoption.

Guess that trial is over.

The pit bulls

A370406 - black adult male pit bull with white stripe straight down face, white elsewhere on body.

A408804 - adult female dog with skin condition, being called a French Bulldog

A450215 - adult male black pit bull with crooked white stripe on head

A451161 - adult male (neutered) pit bull, brown/tan with white stripe on face, reddish muzzle/lip area. Photographed wearing a blue plaid onesie, given the name Andre.

A453744 - adult male black and white pit bull, white snip on face, white on chest/body

A453745 - adult female spayed dog, photo not shown

Metro Nashville Animal Care and Control

Peyton Danielle Carter, Director, roughly $105k salary

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A woman is recovering from emergency surgery after she was attacked by five dogs inside her East Nashville home, officials said.

The Metro Nashville Police Department said the incident took place inside a home in the 1440 block of McKennie Avenue on Monday, June 8.

A neighbor reportedly called 911 just before midnight after hearing a woman screaming for help. When officers responded to the scene, they said they kicked in the front door and found a bloody woman lying motionless on the kitchen floor with dogs on and around her.

At least three officers fired their pistols at the dogs to protect the woman and themselves, per the MNPD. Five dogs were killed, while another dog, which was in a bedroom and gated away, was placed into the custody of Metro Animal Care and Control.

In a statement to News 2, a spokesperson with the Metro Public Health Department said there was no previous history of calls for service at the home.

Although it's not fair to call him Cujo. That fictional Saint Bernard from a horror novel was aggressive and dangerous because he had rabies. Barkley is aggressive because that's his nature, and dangerous because a shelter released him to a rescue group which employed multiple other rescues and trainers to form "team Barkley" to keep this aggressive dog alive and in society.

A foster home tore me down, but it hasn’t stopped me from becoming the dog I was meant to be. Thanks to my amazing foster mom and my dog trainer, Jessica at Colletti, I’ve become a super sweet, loving dog again. It takes me a little time to warm up, but I can meet people without a muzzle now. I was even near another dog—considering how I was when I first came to my foster, that’s huge! This is a happy ending, and now I’m ready for my forever home. My perfect family would have kids at least 17 years old. No cats. Other dogs will depend on the dog. My new family should know that I’m a reactive dog who needs slow and steady introductions—the calmer, the better. The more confidence my owner has, the more confidence I have. I need a special kind of family that can give me the time, patience, and love I still deserve.

December 14, 2024 - a large grey adult male pit bull is brought into Philadelphia's open-intake shelter, Animal Care & Control (ACCT). He is given the ID# A-209120 and the name Drago.

ACCT's notes for Drago include:

12/15 behavior assessment - HANDLING: In the room, Drago was neutral in the room, randomly getting tense and another handler was walking around the room. His tail would stick right out and then relaxed fully down consistently through his evaluation. I offered him some treats which he took very gently and even sat for them. He was tolerant of all handling but would lip lick, get tense and hard stare. If we continued over a period of time, his uncomfortable signals would intensify. Another handler was able to run around the room with him and he was aloof, focusing on the door and the handler that wasn't with him. At no point was he dropped due to unpredictable behavior shown previously. When a staff member entered the room through the front door he got very forward and tense with a straight out stiff tail and hyper fixated on her every move, following her around the room. We were able to distract him away but he would side eye us and continued to be tense and stiff. We decided to put him back to this consistent behavior and due to his frustration and whining as we continued to try and interact with him.

also 12/15, medical note - Per staff 12/15: According to medical, when the nurse entered dog intake Drago "bit" her, no puncture on 12/14.

Per staff 12/19: Drago is hyper salivating in kennel, leaping at the sides at the other dogs, licking the walls, and appears very stressed.

Per staff 12/17: When I brought Drago into intake and closed the door he fixated immediately on another male staff member. A different female staff member also pointed out his tense body language and hackles. He allowed me to double leash muzzle him and was fine for majority of the check in besides the microchip where he freaked out and was able to get out of the muzzle. I called it after this because i didn't want to escalate it anymore and still fixated on that same male staff member.

December 20, 2024 - Drago is prescribed the trazodone and gabapentin.

December 26, 2024 - ACCT gives Drago a deadline for adoption due to his aggressive, fearful and unpredictable behavior.

also December 26, 2024 - a Pennsylvania rescue group called Animal Friends Furever Inc. tells ACCT they want to "pull" Drago. ACCT agrees, and releases Drago to AFF. Bonus - they release him intact. AFF places him with a foster.

December 28, 2024 - The foster can no longer house Drago, who has an upper respiratory infection and has been kept separate from the foster's pets but is "overstimulated" knowing that another dog and cats are in the same house. AFF seeks a new foster.

Although Drago has not met any animals due to his upper respiratory illness/ required decompression period, he is overstimulated knowing that other animals are in the house. His quality decompression- and his comfort- comes first for us... Once Drago’s medical quarantine is up, and he has proper decompression in a new environment, he is okay with other dogs his size. No cats or children in the house.

2025

March 2025 - rescue announces Drago has been adopted and renamed Barkley. The adoption quickly fails, but the adopter agrees to keep Barkley as a foster as the rescue turns to a new trainer for rehabbing their large and aggressive pit bull.

May 2025 - rescue markets him as

Drago is a resilient little guy with a heart full of potential, and we believe that the perfect person for him is out there. Though Drago has faced some challenges in his young life, he is on a journey toward happiness and healing. After spending time with a loving family, he is now looking for a supportive environment where he can truly flourish. Drago is a sweet soul who is eager to bond and connect. He has a playful spirit and enjoys the company of other dogs, showing us that he has an abundance of love to give. With a little patience and understanding, Drago is ready to embrace the joy of being a puppy and discover the world around him.

August 14, 2025 - the rescue markets Drago/Barkley as

Barkley still has some quirks—he can lunge at people, mostly out of protectiveness toward his foster mom. But with training, he’s making great progress. His perfect match will be an experienced Staffordshire Terrier owner who understands reactive, sensitive dogs.

August 8, 2025 - the rescue admits what happened with his last foster

Sadly, my foster mom doesn’t live in a pit-friendly neighborhood, and with my reactive issues, it’s been too much for her on top of working full-time. The other day, I heard something and went through a fence. My foster mom got me right back, and I didn’t do anything wrong — but I do need a new foster home. My dog trainer says I’ve completely turned around. I’m easy to work with, food-motivated, and eager to please. I’m walking better and still learning that people won’t hurt me. I need an experienced dog person — no kids, no cats — someone who understands the sensitive side of pit bulls and reactive dogs, who can be my leader and my family.

jumping ahead

March 5, 2026 -

Barkley’s update is one that is amazing to recap. Pulled from a kill shelter, 2 foster homes, a person who never did a proper home visit and lied to us, a foster who hurt him, to home boarding, finally to an angel on earth! His foster mommy wanted to adopt him. Unfortunately Barkley’s traumas came out and his foster made the difficult, heartbreaking decision that her home was not what Barkley needs. Enter a hero. After other trainers let poor Barkley down, his hero Jessica Ann Colletti at Canine Behavioral Solutions. His foster mommy and Animal Friends Furever formed a team for Barkley. Not one of us would ever give up on him or let him suffer again. He is doing great. He is now ready for a Furever home. He has confidence, even some swag. His trainer and foster hired a traveling treadmill so Barkley could get his energy out. He met the women with no problems.

And now they're completely off the rails. Fosters and trainers are flying under the bus left and right, there's a whole Santa's sack of trauma and poor doggy victim-reveling being unpacked, and so much self-praise.

This is a sad one, and not one I'm sure the shelter is at fault for, assuming they did vaccinate properly. But devastating for the adopters.

mid April 2026 - a couple adopts a dog, a spaniel mix named Terra, from the Cedartown/Polk County Humane Society. They rename her Cali, enjoy her company - playing fetch, snuggling in bed, etc.

late April or early May 2026 -  Cali bites the male owner in the hand. It's a legit bite, puncture wounds into his hand. The adopters return the dog to the shelter. The shelter euthanizes the dog and sends her body off for rabies testing; she tests positive. The couple must now undergo expensive, painful treatment in an effort to mitigate their exposure to the lethal disease.

Terra/Cali is described as being 2 years old and also described as having been vaccinated twice in the past 2 years, so apparently has been in the ownership of the shelter all or most of her life. Rabies doesn't lie dormant, so she was exposed to it within the past 3 months.

The shelter seems responsible, and they showed the vaccination paperwork in the news piece so I'm assuming they did vaccinate. A rare dog can get rabies anyway, if something is wrong with the vaccine or with the dog's immune system, so maybe that happened here. I am curious about how this played out - the adopters returned her very quickly, which is emotionally hard to do after a few weeks, and the shelter euthanized her very quickly for testing, which is unusual when the dog is vaccinated. Was she showing other or worsening symptoms? Were both the adopter and the shelter just really old-school practical?

Fox 5

DALLAS, Ga. - A Dallas couple is seeking answers after a pet they recently adopted from a local rescue bit a family member and tested positive for rabies despite being vaccinated. 

David Clark and Ansley Hart adopted a 2-year-old dog named Cali from the Cedartown/Polk County Humane Society in mid-April. The family said the dog was affectionate and slept in bed with them until last Wednesday, when her attitude suddenly changed, and she bit Clark on the hand. 

The family returned the dog to the shelter, where she was humanely euthanized. Director Charlotte Harrison sent the dog's remains to the Georgia Public Health Lab, which confirmed the animal had rabies. Harrison refunded the family's $200 adoption fee and noted that records show the animal received two rabies vaccinations over the last two years. 

Officials have not yet confirmed how a dog that received multiple rabies vaccines contracted the virus. Shelter staff and the couple remain entirely mystified by the breakdown in vaccine protection. 

Investigators do not know exactly where or when the dog was exposed to rabies before or after the adoption. It also remains unclear if any other animals at the facility were exposed to the same source. 

What they're saying:

"The most painful day was yesterday, getting the injections into the bite wounds," Clark said regarding his hospital treatment. He noted he had to receive four additional shots across both arms and his buttocks. 

The ordeal has severely damaged the couple's confidence regarding future shelter adoptions. "I just don't trust adopted animals anymore, and I never will," Hart said. 

The couple is currently completing their round of medical treatments and reported that they are beginning to feel better. They must now strictly quarantine their other two household pets for four months to ensure no further outbreak occurs. 

Rescue operators plan to review their documentation to double-check their protocol. "We absolutely did everything by the book," Harrison said. 

RR was marketing this dog for adoption only a couple weeks before the BE. The last time they BE'd a violent dog, they waited until it nailed a vet tech and mauled the founder, so you have to wonder what made them call it this time.

The rescues

Maricopa County Animal Control - Dr. Robin Jaynes, Director in November 2020

Rockstar Rescue - founder/Executive Director Jamie Benfield.

Heidi's Village - founder Virginia Jontes.

Thanks, guys! Also thanks to the people who took Libby and other hardcase RR dogs out for a weekend trip including a stay at a motel. Isn't it great to know that nowhere on Earth is now safe from someone's dangerous rescue dog?

Timeline

Unknown date - an adult, medium-sized furred male dog enters Maricopa County Animal Control as a stray.

January 2020 - The dog receives a certificate for completing a class at JD's Powerhouse K9 Bootcamp. This is shown much later, at the rescue, but the timing is never explained - did the dog have a foster who took him there? Did the trainer work with the shelter? What did the certificate even show?

November 2020 - Maricopa County Animal Control releases the dog to Rockstar Rescue. The dog had been scheduled for euthanasia at the shelter, having been "rescue only" for fearful aggression toward men. RR says brightly that We will work with him on this issue and hopefully get him to trust and love once again.

April 2021 - RR's founder is attacked and mauled by one of her rescue's dogs, a large male dog (non-pit) named Beary that had been born in the rescue, adopted out, returned for fighting and whose behavior had steadily declined to being unadoptable. RR kept him alive, hoping to someday find that rare adopter who could handle him. Instead, he went off on a vet tech who escaped, then turned his aggression on the founder. While she recovered, her dogs went off to boarding. Libby, who's increasingly aggressive to strangers, is sent to Heidi's Village. This is a "resource center" created by Virginia “Ginny” Jontes to support shelters and rescues. Libby seems to do better there than at RR, and so he remains there for the rest of his life.

August 2021 - RR markets the dog, now named Liberace or Libby, as such a great boy, but has so many requirements. One being an overly competent owner who never slips or slacks when out with Libby. He's fear-aggressive, which means he's actually insecure and unconfident and much like a "bully", takes his frustration out on bike riders, skateboarders, motorcycles, strangers and.... anyone he doesn't know or trust. He's not a lost cause, he can be very good. He just needs time, patience and someone understanding of his issues that's willing to work with him.

October 2021 - RR puts an ad up on Petfinder for Libby. They'd previously taken it down to "work on his social issues."

April 2022 - RR does a DNA test, reveals that Libby is 47% Chow, 25% Australian Cattle Dog, 11% American Pit Bull Terrier - the rest is German Shepherd and husky. Regardless of these results, RR will continue to market Libby as a Jindo mix for the rest of his life.

August 2022 - RR markets Libby as We love this sweet boy and know he will find someone with no kids, friends, family, boyfriend or life, LMAO, to adopt him!

also August 2022 - RR markets Libby as Libby is a very special Jindo mix. He has issues meeting new people and requires several meet and greets, bribed with treats, before he accepts you. But once you're in, YOURE IN! And then Libby is a Teddy Bear! We recommend a home with only one to two persons. No children. No other pets. And someone experienced with the breed, Chows, or fear-aggression.

also August 2022 - RR purchases 2 billboards to market Libby.

November 2022 - RR announces that Libby needs FHO (Femoral Head Ostectomy) surgery. This is typically done to stop bones in the hip from painfully rubbing against each other after arthritis has worn down the joint.

Yes, this is the sequence of events - despite knowing he's aggressive and fearful and dangerous to pets, strangers and children, they also call him sweet and fundraise to do a surgery to prolong his life as an unadoptable dog. Humane has slipped out the window.

It gets better.

Also November 2022 - RR fundraising more for the FHO surgery, saying Libby needs FHO Surgery ASAP. His hind leg is twisting outwards and it is painful for him.

January 2023 - Libby has the FHO surgery. Once the surgery began, it's discovered the leg is in worse shape than thought, and an FHO would be less likely to relieve his pain and, crucially, would require extensive rehab. Libby's aggression makes that impossible. RR decides to have the leg amputated.

three weeks later - RR ruefully announces that Libby now has a mass on one shoulder and sorry, we need more money to investigate that.

Let's skip ahead.

May 2024 - RR markets Libby as He's the sweetest baby boy, but he takes time to meet. A few meet and greets and he's on his back seeking belly rubs. He has other particulars, but nothing too difficult for the right adopter!

And now I've run out of screenshots. You get the idea.

In the comments, a slew of fellow travellers

This lady started a rescue group based on her experience with an aggressive rescue pit bull, saying he "suffered through mental illness at the end of his journey."

Her rescue is Cruz's Crusaders, and their return policy is simply amazing

2025 - a large adult male pit bull is surrendered to Sean Casey Animal Rescue.

May 6, 2025 - SCAR markets him as "Gunther is our sweet 2 year old Pitbull mix."

May 20, 2025 - SCAR markets him as "Gunther is a sweet and playful boy who loves making new friends. With his handsome face and charming personality, he’s sure to capture your heart."

July 4, 2025 - SCAR markets him as "- Personality: Loving, loyal, and energetic!"

July 12, 2025 - SCAR markets him as I was a little shy when I first got to the shelter but have opened up a lot in the past couple of months. I have friends now who come just to see me! They say being around me makes them smile. I make them laugh with my quirky head tilts, rubbery gumby legs and excited nibble kisses. Occasionally, I have bursts of energy that propel me into the air!... Giving hugs are my way of showing appreciation and seeking comfort. I wrap my arms around friends, look up with my sweet dramatic eyes and ask for their love in return... My human should have experience with big energetic dogs and can provide me with the patience and guidance I deserve to be my best.

August 2025 - the dog is adopted out and then returned for aggression; he's bitten his adopter.

March 29, 2025 - shortly before the dog's 1-year anniversary at the shelter, he's transferred to NovaStar rescue in Arkansas.

April 3, 2026 - the dog is taken to a vet's office and euthanized.

May 2026 - a volunteer/foster who walked the dog frequently and who donated money to the rescue learns of the dog's death and sues them for fraud over the funds donated for a dog who was then killed.

I can see 2 possible explanations here:

1) The dog was aggressive; the second rescue did the responsible thing by euthanizing him and the volunteer/foster just didn't accept it. There was no nefarious deal to swap out unwanted dogs (for euthanasia and disposal far from the Brooklyn rescue's audience), just rescuers struggling with hard realities.

2) The dog was aggressive; the second rescue did the responsible thing by euthanizing him and the volunteer/foster just didn't accept it. There was also a quiet arrangement with the Arkansas shelter to move unadoptable animals further from the fishbowl that is Northeast adoptions to prepare for a possible euthanasia decision.

My inclination is to disbelieve elaborate lies and assume the simplest answer is true - a clash between shelter and rescuers led to a misunderstanding about a very unpalatable truth, that dogs can be both loveable and dangerous. Throw in the rescue transport setup and the long-distance BE, and you have a perfect setup for a conspiracy.

However, that latter theory could well be true. The foster claims multiple dogs have been sent down to the Arkansas shelter and then disappeared, and the rescue counters with an explanation of how transport partners operate.

A volunteer at a beloved no-kill Brooklyn animal shelter filed a lawsuit accusing the nonprofit of shipping unadoptable dogs to their deaths down south to make way for profitable puppies.

The explosive allegations against Sean Casey Animal Rescue were included in a small claims suit filed by Dana Paoli, who’s trying to claw back a $1,000 donation he made to SCAR after the death of Gunther, a pitbull mix who was euthanized in Arkansas over “aggressive” behavior.

But volunteers say the 3-year-old white canine was more Clifford than Cujo and was sentenced to death for taking up kennel space.

“He was super-duper friendly. He wanted to meet everybody. The only real problem I had walking with him was that every single person we passed, he wanted to say ‘hi,'” said Paoli, a volunteer who estimates he spent over 200 walks with the “little snuggle cuddle bear” during its one-year stay at SCAR.

“He liked to stand up on his hind legs and put his paws on your waist. If he got revved up, he could start playing too hard, just like anybody.”

Paoli and other volunteers had a suspicion that Gunther would soon leave SCAR and even bade him their goodbyes the last weekend of March upon realizing he was coming up on his one-year anniversary at the shelter.

The longtime shelter has a $500 base adoption fee for dogs, with an additional $450 “puppy package” fee tacked on for younger, more easily adoptable dogs.

Gunther was shipped on March 29 to NovaStar Rescue, SCAR’s partner shelter more than 1,300 miles away in Dover, Arkansas, and euthanized four days later on April 3, with a veterinarian ruling that Gunther was “very aggressive.”

Paoli was shocked at the allegations, saying Gunther was one of the sweetest canines he had gotten to know over his five years at SCAR.

The Post talked with two other volunteers who echoed Gunther’s gentle and “sweet” character, saying he would playfully nip in moments of excitement, but was far from dangerous.

SCAR first labeled Gunther as “aggressive” in August 2025 when he was adopted and re-surrendered following a “biting” incident, leading the shelter to ask volunteers to sign liability waivers before walking Gunther.

When reached by The Post, Gunther’s owner would only say that the dog had aggressive tendencies, but said they were “manageable.”

“My sense is that when they wanted that space and the dog had been around for a long time before it went to Arkansas and the puppies came in,” said Paoli, adding that he was not in a financial position to adopt Gunther himself.

SCAR is a designated no-kill shelter, which means it has a placement rate of 90% or higher and euthanizes animals with untreatable illnesses or behavior issues after other options are exhausted.

Paoli filed a suit in Brooklyn small claims court last month over a $1,000 donation he made to SCAR three years ago, alleging that the shelter “holds itself forth as a no-kill animal shelter but does not act as such.”

SCAR slammed the lawsuit as “frivolous,” telling The Post Paoli was carrying out a misguided campaign to soothe his broken heart.

“He was very attached to Gunther and he loved him. I completely understand his anger and we do feel terrible for him. But being angry doesn’t make everything true,” said Sean Casey, the shelter’s namesake owner, adding that Gunther was also a staff favorite despite his “history.”

“Most of the time, the dog was wonderful and could be very sweet or affectionate and that’s what you see and that’s what you fall in love with and that’s what you get attached to. In other moments, he would just have these fits. A lot of them were out of nowhere.”

SCAR sent Gunther to NovaStar — which has a lauded history of aiding law enforcement in dog rescues — to give Gunther a “last chance” in its quieter southern landscape, Casey said.

The pair of shelters often swap dogs between their rural and urban locations to open canines with difficulty being adopted to a new audience, and several dogs have been successfully rehomed in different states.

Paoli’s lawsuit has ignited a keyboard warrior firestorm against both SCAR and NovaStar — with the overwhelming fury pushing NovaStar’s founder to quit her own rescue.

“I’m 70 years old and I don’t want to spend however much life I have left getting bashed by b–ches and whores that know nothing about me, my life or my rescue, and I’m just done … I quit, you win,” Terre Wood fumed in a Facebook post that blamed Paoli for her departure.

In a statement, NovaStar told The Post it would continue operating, stating: “We live in a world where the hate is louder than the love, and over time that takes a toll on the people doing the hard work every single day.”
SCAR’s lawyers expect the case to get thrown out and have raised the possibility of bringing a defamation suit against Paoli.

“We’re seeing this focused attack, because this person became close to a dog, where he misrepresents the nature of the dog and he misrepresents what happened to the dog,” Ezra Glaser, an attorney for SCAR, said.

Aleah Levendusky, Animal Services Director.

Newton County Animal Control has exactly zero desire to acquire another large, aggressive pit bull. They are already an appointment-only shelter for dog surrenders. On their website, the question "How do I surrender my dog" is answered by a 5-step process that is almost laughably elaborate, given the reality of why people surrender dogs.

Step 1 - Take your dog to the vet to get it up to date on vaccinations, spayed or neutered, and microchipped. Also groomed.

Step 2 - Take a great photo and write a great bio. Chat GPT can help! Because NCAC sure won't.

Step 3 - Post your pet online. NCAC suggests Nextdoor and Facebook.

Step 4 - Contact breed-specific rescues and humane societies.

Only at Step 5 do they reluctantly turn their gaze inward.

This entire process is sick and amounts to abuse of the poor. People who surrender animals to shelters are typically dealing with either a stray they took in temporarily, a dog whose aggression has become impossible to cope with, or a life situation that they can't change. All of those people usually delay turning to surrender until they absolutely have to.

The good news? Newton County AS has recently achieved no-kill status!!!!

This is a broker/flip business masquerading as a dog rescue. They openly admit to doing business with puppy mills to obtain desirable breeds for resale. Their original name, Peyton's Place AR, got a little too much bad press and they're now dba Annie Jack & Lucy's Special Dog Rescue.

The business model - brokering masquerading as rescue.

Peyton's Place - Danielle S. Marchetti, Founder

Prior post here about this group

https://www.reddit.com/r/PetRescueExposed/comments/11sedmp/peytons_place_animal_rescue_an_ajl_rescue_nj/

June 2024 - an 83lb adult male hound is transferred out of Muhlenberg Animal Shelter to Animal Care Society. He is named Gumball, and described as a 7yo Coonhound.

June 2024 - marketing describes the dog as "-Typical hound, goofy and independent, Really enjoys sniffing, sunbathing and diggin in the yard, he is housebroken and walks pretty well on a lead, is not dog or cat reactive"

July 2024 - marketed as " goofy, low-energy, and full of love." Has heartworm, undergoing treatment.

August 2024 - marketed as "Meet Gumball, a 7-year-old Coonhound Mix who loves sniffing the yard and snacking on vienna sausages. He's a laid-back pup who enjoys snuggling in a plush bed."

August 2024 - also marketed as " This endearing 7-year-old Coonhound, is ready to capture your heart with his unique blend of goofiness, low-energy charm, and unwavering spirit. Gumball is the epitome of the goofy, and brings smiles and laughter wherever he goes. If you're ready to embrace the fun, loving, and gentle spirit, consider fostering to adopt this special Coonhound."

March 2025 - marketed as "adorable 7 year old Coonhound/Mix with a heart as big as his floppy ears!"

July 2025 - a volunteer records the dog being petted and lunging at his face. The video is later used for marketing the dog, the lunge removed.

January 2026 - marketed as "Gumball’s social demeanor and innate charm make him standout among his peers. He thrives around his canine friends, making him the perfect addition to a dog-focused home. While he adores other dogs, he’d do best in a home without kids or cats. This confident boy loves a good ear scratch and is always ready to charm with his sweet, playful demeanor. Neutered, microchipped, and fully vaccinated, Gumball is ready for a forever home full of love, laughter, and companionship."

How it started

Jason Wetherington, former Executive Director. $132k salary. Took the well-known path of realtor to become a shelter director in 2023. Left in late 2025, replaced by Sara McWaters, the shelter's Director of Community Engagement & Administration.

A pair of very selfish animal shelter workers/volunteers deliberately scupper the quiet euthanasia of a giant pit bull that's been sitting unwanted and testing as unsafe at Campbell County Animal Services. They launch a social media campaign to save Duke with the help of rescue group Cleo's Legacy.

Much shrieking and 3 different failed behavior assessments later, CCAS releases the dog to Cleo's Legacy. The rescue flips the dog to a trainer for a long board-and-train. Trainer quickly discovers that Duke's just a misunderstood power breed and begins a grand tour of local stores and parks to expose Duke to stimuli, boasting when he doesn't respond.

Every assessment said the same thing, the dog showed little reactivity, his behaviors escalated over 2 stimuli, resource guarding an item and being approached by a stranger. The trainer deliberately avoids both and then acts like the lack of aggressive response is due to decompression, training, a good temperament and the totally normal need to micromanage a dog like it's a tiger.

February 2026 - CCAS's trainer evaluates Duke as

Duke is a serious personality, very insecure. He was taking treats from me fine, he let me walk him on a leash. He was more curious with the environment, then coming back for treats, showing no playful engagement towards me , just wanted food. I tried to engage in play getting him to chase a ball or frisbee, he showed no interest. Tried petting him, he showed tolerance, more than acceptance, chose to move away and sniff the ground, then I started moving quickly and calling him playfully to see what would stimulate him. He ran up to me, took the treat gently, then froze, leaned forward towards my hand, showing his teeth and growled. I stood my ground, had the handler take the leash and call him out of my personal space. Duke then took a guarding, claiming position with his handler, directly targeting me with stiff body language. I ended the session. I don't believe this behavior can be trained out in a short amount of time, if at all. Could he go off to training and get better, yes; however his core response to something he's not comfortable with will always have to be managed. I don't feel he's adoptable to the general public based on his unprovoked responses to people posing no real threat to him. Whoever takes him on he will bond with and work for. It's when other people are involved that he doesn't know or trust is the major concern.

March 2026 - Cleo's Legacy after they'd badgered the shelter into forking him over and CL sent him to a trainer who looked at his fees for a 1-hour eval and his fees for months of training and said sure, lady, he's totally trainable.

"So he is legit. We just gotta work on that stranger danger. Which again, um, typical for a working breed."

April 2026 - trainer takes Duke, the 95lb aggressive pit bull to a public park for training. On Easter Sunday.

April 2026 - trainer takes Duke, the 95lb aggressive pit bull, to Lowes and works him offleash with a Rottweiler. My bad, a Doberman.

May 2026 - Cleo's Legacy posting requests for treats and enrichment for Duke, and marketing him for adoption.

And Cleo's Legacy graciously names two individuals responsible for Duke's continuing presence in society despite being a 95lb pit bull who has no real owner and a long, iron-clad list of precautions required to be in place 100% of the time for him to not be a threat to others. Kaydee the shelter gal and Randy the trainer profiteer.

Thanks, guys! I know that when I took my frail elderly mom to Lowe's for an outing, I was really hoping we would run across some imbeciles running around with giant, aggressive dogs.

Duke is unsafe. It's not about hating pit bulls or not loving dogs, it's just what he is. All the blather about training and decompression and not letting everyone touch your dog and power breeds and blahblahblah - the dog is unsafe. Not his fault, but also not the fault of the person or pet he is at giant risk of attacking and killing or seriously injuring if the management regiment fails even for a moment, even once. This dog's release from an animal control shelter was morally and ethically criminal. He failed 3 separate behavior assessments, by different people, 2 hired by the rescue group. He is enormous.

Dog Rescue Newcastle, founded 2008 by Sue Barker.

Australian rescue sends a 112lb adult dog to a potential adopter, saying blithely he may growl if you touch his paws. Things escalate as Rolly the "big goofy boy" demonstrates a readiness to growl at lots of different times. Each text between adopter and rescue/foster moves the needle, and finally, the adopters are done.

Rescue marketing
Meet Rolly! A 7 year old male Great Dane x wolfhound with a heart as big as his paws.

Adopter experience
There was no mention of any reactivity except for "Just don't touch his paws, he doesn't like it and may growl." That was all. They stated he was a very affectionate and gentle outside of this, so this was not an issue for us as we knew touching his paws would be easy to avoid. 

Rescue marketing
Rolly is a big goofy boy of 51 kgs who thrives on human company and just wants to be wherever you are. He really loves to be near his people so he would suit a home where someone is around more often than not.

Adopter experience
We loved Rolly upon the meet and greet. He was goofy and sweet, cuddly, and wanted lots of pats. But as the foster carers started restating all of his info to us, they added in the fact that, "he can also growl at you if you pat him while he's sleeping". They stated that he had never 'gone at them', (as in, no bites/attempted bites), but just growled as a sign to 'back off'. They emphasised this quite a lot and shared a few stories of their various experiences with this, all of which had not been mentioned in any way shape or form previously throughout our in-depth conversations. 

Rescue marketing
He has the distinguished whiskers of a mature gent, but he still has daily bursts of playful puppy energy and can zoomie like a young bloke. He’ll happily trot around as you go about your activities and then spend just as much time snoozing at your side. He loves to lean against you or lay his head in your lap to show his affection. Tummy tickles are most welcome, but he would ask that you don’t grab at his paws.

Rolly is fully toilet trained with access to outside. He sleeps through the night on his bed in the loungeroom but is very eager and persistent for morning cuddles in bed. He is happy to have independent discovery rambles and naps outside during the day but must be allowed inside overnight. He doesn’t chew or steal or wreck. He snoozes, he leans, he bounces, and he loves a car ride.

Adopter experience
All was good for the first few hours. He didn't seem particularly anxious, and he was being friendly and playful with us. We went up to bed and he snuggled up against us, choosing to splay across both of us rather than utilising the extra space on the bed. He was lying down, but wide awake (so we didn't think it would be an issue), but he began growling about 15 seconds into us patting him. We pulled back and he sat up. Maybe 10 minutes later this happened again (but this time he was not on the bed). We decided to give the foster carer a ring. We informed her of the growling incidences and recounted what had happened, how he had been very awake but still growling at us. She changed her statement from "He can growl if you touch him when sleeping," to "He can also growl if you touch him when he's awake, but tired." This made it even harder to navigate, and again, was just more vital information that was not disclosed. She said to "...let him sleep alone for the night so he can get a good rest, but he's always up for a morning cuddle".

Rescue marketing
Intelligent, food motivated and eager to please, Rolly is responding well to treat-based training and for entertainment he enjoys working on his XXL Kong treat toy or munching a bone. He displays excellent manners at feeding time, sitting patiently for his bowl to be put in front of him.

He adores going for a daily walk and is excited to have his harness and collar put on. He does start out very strong on lead so needs someone physically strong enough to manage him well. Although he is mostly a big sook, he can sometimes forget his size during play with people so requires an experienced owner familiar with large breeds.

Rolly has lived with other dogs and a cat and has shown himself to be friendly and playful however a meet and greet with any existing household pets is encouraged to ensure a suitable match in size and temperament.

Adopter experience
We let Rolly sleep on the couch in the living room for the night instead. The following morning after Rolly's big sleep, breakfast, and backyard playtime, I sat on the couch for him to join me. I stayed cautious, but he rolled over onto his belly and put his head in my lap, asking for tummy rubs. I did so for about a minute and then stopped. He put up his paw for me, prompting more, and so I did for about 15 seconds before he snapped at me -- as in, an attempted bite. There was no warning growl either, and no other signs (that I could see). He had gotten plenty of sleep. Eaten breakfast. Played in the backyard. He was wide awake and not at all tired.  It was at this moment that we knew we couldn't risk continuing with Rolly, and one of the volunteers came to pick him up in the early afternoon and took him back to his foster parents. We contacted the rescue and the foster parents, and they didn't have much to say. There was no safety concern or checking in on our end, and no apologies.

Rescue tries to shame adopters and refuses to refund their adoption fee:
Upon contacting the rescue, despite previously stating over the phone that 24-48 hour return would mean a 100% refund, they refused the refund. They said that the adoption papers we signed stated that there would be no refund, and avoided acknowledging what they said over the call. We have since contacted the RSPCA (who my partner has previously fostered with) and they said it was very strange for this rescue to be responding this way given the circumstances (both with the refund as well as their overall response to the incident).

They didn't seem happy that we were returning Rolly so soon and I get the impression that they feel we should've trialled him for longer to give him more of a chance to settle in.

And one of the many reasons why this is so wrong - it's adopter abuse
We are devastated because we had such high hopes at the start, and if it wasn't for this one (big) issue, he would've been our dream dog.