An animal lover from Jackson, Tennessee, has been mauled to death by a rescue dog he had adopted just hours earlier.
57-year-old Anthony Riggs adopted the Rottweiler last Thursday and took the dog to his son’s house where they made plans to take a holiday together.
At 3:30pm that afternoon police were called to Rigg’s home by his wife, Kathy, who had discovered her husband before he was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services.
Ex-wife Adrienne Riggs has raised serious concerns about the adoption process followed by Jackson-Madison County Rabies Control centre. Under current law dogs arriving at the centre must be held for three days prior to adoption. The five-year-old Rottweiler was allegedly held for five.
Adrienne told KHOU that she and her 23-year-old son returned to the centre for answers.
She said:
I don’t believe what they said, I just don’t. A docile dog does not turn in three hours and kill somebody. Something was wrong.
They don’t assess the dogs, they don’t vet them, they don’t evaluate them, they just adopt them out.
You just can’t put a dog that may be dangerous out with an unsuspecting family. That’s just wrong.”
The centre has promised an investigation will take place, saying ‘We by no means would adopt an animal out that showed any signs of aggression.’
The dog was shot dead by police and an autopsy seeks to discover signs of abuse or rabies.
