A pit bull was fatally shot in North Carolina, United States, after its owner allegedly commanded it to maul a neighbor during a violent dispute, according to police reports and court filings.
The incident, detailed in a Wake County District Court magistrate’s order, involved 58-year-old Sheila Marie Hunter, who allegedly directed her dog to attack her neighbor, Eli Santos Blanco, outside their apartment complex.
The dog reportedly bit Blanco repeatedly, causing deep puncture wounds to both arms. Recounting the ordeal to WNCN, Blanco said:
“It’s a hard pain to explain. At first, it was just okay, then she was ripping my tendons and muscles apart. I looked at that dog, and I saw the grip she had. I just started punching the dog, poking out anything to make it get off.”
Blanco added that his injuries could have been far worse if not for a bystander who intervened with a firearm, shooting the pit bull dead mid-attack.
Police said Hunter, who has a criminal record spanning four decades, showed no concern for the injured animal and instead hurled insults at responding officers. She now faces charges of assault with intent to cause great bodily harm, cruelty to animals, and intoxicated and disruptive behavior.
At her first court appearance via video on Monday, a Wake County judge set her bail at $30,000. If released, Hunter will be prohibited from contacting Blanco or owning animals. Her next hearing is scheduled for October 6.
The case adds to a growing list of violent dog attacks worldwide, fueling renewed calls for stricter regulations around ownership of dangerous breeds.
In Chennai, India, on August 19, 2025, a man named Karunakaran was killed after being mauled by a neighbor’s pit bull.
In Fargo, North Dakota, a baby died in July 2025 following a fatal pit bull attack.
In Lagos, Nigeria, Hobnob News reported in November 2024 that a security guard was killed by three pit bull-type dogs at a private estate.
For Blanco, the attack remains a harrowing memory but also a reminder of survival:
“I just thank God someone was there to stop it before it got worse,” he said.
