The history of the family involved, their dogs and neighbors reveals a pattern of similar incidents, including dogs biting people, dogs allowed to roam free of constraint and an excessive number of dogs maintained at their residences. While not all neighbors agree, neighbor concerns and complaints over the family’s dogs, both at this residence and previous ones is not new.
A St. George Police officer responded to the neighborhood of 1500 West and 1400 North last Sunday, when dogs were reported running loose and causing concern to neighbors. The officer observed four dogs and shot at one of them three times when the dog aggressively charged him, according to police statements.
Resident Sherrill Brinkerhoff, who said she owns Loki, has lived at 1563 West 1400 North in the neighborhood for 13 years. It is a a quaint, but by no means quiet neighborhood, in St. George. She is not the only dog owner there. Three “Beware of Dog” signs can be seen hanging on fences around yards throughout the neighborhood and dogs can be heard barking from inside neighboring homes and backyards. Brinkerhoff’s residence is home to extended family from time to time as well as many dogs.
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| Brinkerhoff with the latest addition to the house with too many animals, Chiacchiera's pit bull named Dexter |
Dogs over limit, neighbor concerns
The City of St. George has a two-dog limit on residences and includes provision for dog owners to apply for a kennel license if they wish to maintain more than two dogs at a given residence.
This family of dog owners tends to watch each other’s dogs and considers them all one in the family, Chiacchiera said, accounting for some confusion in who owns what dog. As of Sunday, there were eight dogs at the house.
Following is a breakdown of the dogs, their owners, and current placement:
•Brinkerhoff had five dogs of her own: Loki, Ellie, Sassy, Jesse, and Reggie. Loki is now in the care of Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab; Ellie and Sassy were taken in by another family member of Brinkerhoff to live elsewhere; Jessie and Reggie remain with Brinkerhoff and were never impounded
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| This dog named Reggie was allowed to stay at the residence |
•Brinkerhoff was dog sitting a dog for her son who recently left for a mission with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Chloe. Chloe has been taken in by another family member to be taken care of until Brinkerhoff’s son returns from his LDS mission
•Brinkerhoff was dog sitting another dog for a son’s girlfriend: Franky. Franky was impounded and remains at the shelter, waiting for Brinkerhoff’s son’s girlfriend to come pick him up
•Winder and Chiacchiera just moved in Saturday with their dog: Dexter. Dexter remains at the Brinkerhoff home with Winder and Chiacchiera, being allowed to stay with them there temporarily while they look for their own separate home
Ultimately, it was Chiacchiera who said she was cited for failure to control a vicious animal – Loki, for whom Brinkerhoff claimed ownership. None of the dogs are licensed with the City of St. George.
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| Loki, the dog which was shot |
History and issues
This is not a new or isolated incident with this family. City Attorney Shawn Guzman said that citations have previously been issued for too many dogs in that home.
According to a statement issued earlier this week, neighbors told police that the dogs have acted aggressively towards them in the past.
Records kept by the City of St. George include multiple criminal citations against members of this family.
•Between 1999 and 2006, Brinkerhoff, then named Winder, was cited five times for animal-at-large / attack / cruelty, and four times for two license violations each, at various other addresses.
•In 2007, Chiacchiera was cited at a different address when Angela Billmire was bitten by Chiacchiera’s pit bull on the upper left leg, on the back side by her butt.
According to the incident report, “The owner of the dog, Chelsea Chiacchiera, stated the dog was getting aggressive and had bitten two other people the previous week. She turned the dog over to animal control.”
•In June 2012, Brinkerhoff’s dog, Sebastian (identified as Sabastain in the police report), bit neighbor Jim Brey on the back of his calf one night while Brey was on the sidewalk in front of her home. The dog was quarantined because animal control found Brinkerhoff’s yard not secure enough to ensure home quarantine. Winder and his family told St. George News about Sebastian. They said he was vicious and they had to put him down.
•In October 2012, neighbors Shanna and Kyle Crosby complained about the dogs at the current Brinkerhoff home. According to the incident report, the Crosbys said: “As people started walking close to the residence the dogs would start barking and run out into the street after the people.”
On investigation, officers identified one each of the following breeds at the home: sheltie, hound mix, black lab, German short hair mix, little mix-breed, and an extremely large pit bull / mastiff mix. There were also two puppies in the residence.
[The article is much longer, but the most relevant part of the story is that this family has a history of being irresponsible and having too many dogs, many of which behave aggressively.]
(St. George Utah.com - Sept 6, 2013)
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