LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A local shelter dog who bit a man's finger off at a Las Vegas dog park is expected to be put down.
We're talking about Lucy, the foster dog at the center of the controversy we've been tracking now for several weeks.
The woman who fostered Lucy at the time of the attack had hoped to give her a forever home. But due to the latest incident and what Clark County officials described as a history of aggressive behavior, Lucy was deemed "unadoptable."
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Up to this point, a spokesperson for The Animal Foundation told Channel 13 the shelter had decided to move forward with letting Lucy's foster, Layla Carswell, adopt her. But in Clark County, any dog with a bite history must get the OK from Clark County Animal Protection Services before it can be adopted, fostered or transferred to another home.
On Friday, The Animal Foundation told us its request to let Carswell adopt Lucy was denied, and directed us to Clark County for more information about what happens next.
Clark County responded to our inquiry on Monday in an emailed statement providing more context on its investigation. That statement includes the following timeline of Lucy's history:
- November 2024: Animal Protection Services took in Lucy as a stray for fighting another dog. "At the time, APS did not deem this dog vicious," a county spokesperson wrote.
- December 2024: Lucy was adopted.
- March 2025: Lucy was surrendered back to The Animal Foundation "due to circumstances outside of its control."
"Upon this surrender, [The Animal Foundation's] assessment and documentation state that the dog was not suitable for adoption," the county spokesperson stated. "Despite this, TAF placed the dog in a foster home."
Shortly after that, Carswell took Lucy to the dog park near Jones Boulevard and Cactus Avenue, where Lucy bit and significantly injured a person.
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Carswell previously showed Channel 13 paperwork she received when fostering Lucy, including an "Advanced Behavior Needs Waiver" stating Lucy showed behaviors like barking, low growls, slow approaches and leash avoidance.
In a previous statement to Channel 13, a spokesperson for The Animal Foundation wrote, "Ms. Carswell has acknowledged multiple times that she...knew she should not have taken Lucy to a dog park."
Clark County's spokesperson tells Channel 13 that Lucy is "the property of [The Animal Foundation," and the county "agrees with TAF's assessment that this animal is not suitable for adoption."
"The history of this dog before coming into contact with [Animal Protection Services] is unknown, but it has a demonstrated history since March of aggressive behavior," the county spokesperson concluded. "This situation is not indicative of the majority of animals at TAF and the County would encourage the public to consider fostering or adopting animals that are suitable for placement."
Reached for comment on Monday, The Animal Foundation's spokesperson told Channel 13, "Given the county's assessment that the dog is not eligible for adoption or transfer, we will proceed with humane euthanasia in accordance with county ordinance."
Channel 13 reporter Jhovani Carrillo is following this story and will share more tonight at 11 p.m.
