Vicious & dangerous dog hearings ::

A collection of vicious and dangerous dog hearings captured on video or audio. These quasi-judicial hearings often attempt to be less formal, not requiring participants to have an attorney.

Featured videos & audio

featured dangerous dog hearing

Vicious and Dangerous Dogs Unleashed
San Francisco | 44m

Second installment in a series of three videos by Black Summers Productions, LLC.

This installment focuses on the failure of San Francisco Animal Care and Control to properly manage the risks posed by vicious and dangerous dogs in the city. It features parts of hearings and a presentation by John Denny, a veteran Vicious and Dangerous Dog hearing officer.

San Francisco library dangerous dog hearing

Dangerous Dog Hearing
February 1, 2022
San Francisco, California | 1:51m

On January 16, 2022, a security officer at the central San Francisco Public Library was attacked by an alleged "service" pit bull while attempting to check on the welfare of the dog's owner, who was unresponsive. Part of the vicious attack was captured on video and is included.
Lana berman dangerous dog hearing

Dangerous Dog Hearing
May 15, 2019
San Bernardino, California | 28m

On January 16, 2019, Lana Bergman was killed by four pit bulls belonging to two "guests" on her property. After the attack, the owners fought to keep their pit bulls. In May, a Dangerous Dog determination hearing was held. The owners of the pit bulls failed to appear at the hearing.

Lakota and Cochise dangerous dog hearing

Dangerous Dog Hearing
August 29, 2019
San Francisco, California | 1:04m

On July 18, 2019, a man was walking his small dog on a leash when two pit bulls, "Cochise" and "Lakota," broke free from their leash, chased the victims into oncoming traffic and attacked them. Dramatic footage of the violent attack is included, which begins at 2:49 minutes.
dangerous dog hearing of pit bull named Tank

Dangerous Dog Hearing
March 10, 2016
San Francisco, California | 1:17m

"Tank" the pit bull attacked a trainer at a dog training facility. The hearing that resulted is unusual, as it was brought by San Francisco Animal Care and Control on behalf of the dog, not the human victim. View the attack footage and a partial transcript of this hearing.

Criminal defense attorneys

When defense attorneys are involved, the tone of these administrative hearings shifts dramatically. Defense attorneys do not always help the owner of the accused dog win their case either.

dangerous dog hearing of dogo argentino named Archi

Dangerous Dog Hearing
May 28, 2019
Los Angeles, California | 24mins

In January 2019, an unaltered Dogo argentino named "Archi" escaped its owner's property and brutally attacked a man jogging on Amestoy Avenue. During this appeal hearing, the commissioners tell the defense attorney a number of times, "You are not helping your case."
dangerous dog hearing of American bulldog named Bear

Dangerous Dog Hearing
March 18, 2016
Miami-Dade, Florida | 30 mins

In 2015, three family dogs brutally killed Carmen Reigada, 91. The perpetrators were an American bulldog-mix named "Bear," a Rhodesian ridgeback-mix and a Labrador-mix. Reigada's great-grandson owned the dogs and appealed the county's ruling to euthanize the dogs.

Additional hearings

City council meetings

Vicious dog hearings

Criminal trial hearings

Videos of vicious dog attacks »