EXCLUSIVE: Dog that attacked 3-year-old in SF had bitten another dog before
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- New developments in the case of a 3-year-old boy who was attacked by a dog in San Francisco last month. ABC7 News reporter Luz Pena has learned that dog was involved in another biting incident involving another dog last year.
May 13, 2023, an 8-year-old dog named "Ajaxx" slipped out of his apartment while his owner was taking out the garbage. Seconds later, Ajaxx was attacked by another dog.
"I went to look for him and just a few second later, I heard him screaming from downstairs and ran to the lobby," said Joey DeHaven.
After the incident, Ajaxx's owner Joey DeHaven filed a dog bite report. Describing the dog that attacked Ajaxx as his neighbor's dog named "Max."
Ajaxx suffered "multiple puncture wounds, two on top of neck and two on bottom," described the report.
VIDEO: SF family furious after 3-year-old son attacked by dog, owners walk away
DeHaven said Ajaxx's veterinarian said his dog's weight helped him during the bite, "He weights too much, and Max couldn't actually pick him up and shake him to break his neck."
That report was the last time Joey DeHaven heard about Max. A year later, another attack involving Max surfaced.
This time surveillance video captured Max running towards a 3-year-old boy and biting him. The boy's arm required five stitches.
"All of a sudden, appeared out of nowhere charged towards him, chased him and pinned him down and bit him really viciously on his left arm," said the boy's mom.
Now, Joey DeHaven questions what happened to the report he filed against this dog in 2023.
EXCLUSIVE: Couple in SF dog attack that left 3-year-old boy wounded were found, cited by police
We went to San Francisco's Animal Care and Control. They say the majority of dog bites are not investigated. When people file a Vicious and Dangerous Dog report, there's a hearing.
Joey DeHaven filed a bite report - not a vicious and dangerous dog report.
"He didn't request a vicious and dangerous dog hearing and it would be really unusual if he did. There are a lot of dog-on-dog bites in the city that don't make it to the vicious and dangerous court," said Virginia Donohue, executive director for San Francisco's Animal Care and Control.
Luz Pena: "If someone files a bite report and they don't file a vicious and dangerous dog report, what happens?"
Virginia Donohue: "Nothing happens, they file their report - it's done. Now, if there is something about the bite report that causes either the police department or ACC to say, oh wait there is something bigger here the either department can look into it."
Regarding the 2023 bite incident, Donohue said, "Dog one (Ajaxx) shouldn't have been off leash. Dog two (Max) shouldn't have bitten dog one. "
Donohue said there are anywhere between 600 to 800 dog bites a year reported in San Francisco and about 100 hearings a year.
"You can have a dog bite and not have a vicious and dangerous dog incident," said Donohue.
Luz Pena: "Do you think San Franciscans know that filing a bite report is not enough to actually have SFPD investigate that attack?"
Virginia Donohue: "I think it should be clear because they are on the website right underneath one another. It clearly says on the website this is a bite report, if you want to have a vicious and dangerous dog hearing you need to file here."
We talked to Max's owners on the phone, and they confirmed both incidents.
The child's nanny said they didn't leave any contact info, but Max's owners tell us they tried to, but think there was miscommunication because they don't speak English.
They said there is a hearing scheduled for July 8 over the boy's bite incident.
SFPD said this investigation is of "high priority due to the seriousness of the case."
