PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. – The family of a Putnam County mail provider fatally assaulted by dogs in August is now requiring responsibility.
The News4JAX I-TEAM formerly obtained files revealing the dogs’ owner was not charged in part since he had actually attempted unsuccessfully to surrender them to Putnam County Animal Control two times — consisting of simply 10 days prior to the fatal attack on Pamela Rock.
The I-TEAM just recently talked to Rock’s family in their very first interview. Rock, 61, was the youngest sibling of 14 brother or sisters, consisting of Tom Rock, Maria Rock-Risse and Richard Rock. She was likewise an auntie of 19 nieces and nephews.
“She would be at their graduations, any of their programs that they invited her to,” said Maria Rock-Risse as she choked back tears.
The family is ravaged by what took place to Pamela Rock, and now, they are requesting for an examination into a series of occasions leading up to the attack. They feel this might have been avoided and they wish to see modification.
“Pamela was a beautiful person in every way,” Richard Rock said.
Pamela Rock was a mail provider with the United States Postal Service, an extension of a life dedicated to service, consisting of offering with the Peace Corps in Guatemala, informing native females and kids on nutrition on a booking, and working for years with the federal Women, Infants and Children nutrition program — even affirming on Capitol Hill.
But on a dirt roadway in the Interlachen Lake Estates location on Aug. 21, she was the target of a pack of dogs that had actually left their backyard.
“Just make it quick, hurry,” a 911 caller said. “Dog attack.”
According to the 911 call, the dogs assaulted her for a minimum of 5 minutes.
“There’s one, two, three, four of them, hurry,” the caller said.
Pamela Rock was airlifted to an injury center, where her bro Tom Rock hurried to her side.
“She had lost one arm and part of another leg,” he said. “Her face was mauled. Her face was mauled, ear was torn up, all of the horrible things that would happen if you were attacked by wild animals.”
Pamela Rock passed away the next day.
Her brother or sisters are figured out to get responsibility.
“How dare someone just blow this off and say, this isn’t important, this wasn’t really preventable? And it was, and it is, but nobody’s doing anything about it in Putnam County,” Tom Rock said.
The State Attorney’s Office decreased to charge the dogs’ owner with recklessness. Its examination revealed the owner had actually attempted to spot his fence and had actually attempted to give up the dogs to Animal Control — two times.
He spoke with the I-TEAM however desired his identity hid.
“It’s been heartbreaking,” he said. “I think about it every day, and I hurt every day because it shouldn’t have happened.”
He said he attempted to give up the 5 dogs — amongst them Rambo, Bam Bam, Lily and Trickster — since he might not pay for to feed them.
“Trying to get help, you know, somebody that would care for them,” he said.
He said 3 of the dogs were strays he took in and after that one had puppies.
“I’m a dog lover,” he said.
The State Attorney’s Office examination discovered he initially called Animal Control to give up the dogs in February 2022 — 6 months prior to the deadly attack — however nobody recalled “due to a lack of resources,” an animal control officer informed the private investigator.
Eleven days later on, the dogs went out and assaulted next-door neighbor Howard Clough, putting him in the healthcare facility.
“I was laying out there in the road. I had all the dogs biting me here, biting me here, biting me down my damn leg and chewing me all up,” said Clough, who endured the dog attack however informed the I-TEAM that he got more than 200 stitches all over his body.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office reacted, with the deputy composing they would forward their report to Animal Control. But Animal Control Officer Donald Ferguson later on informed the State Attorney’s Office that they never ever got the report. He said the report would have concerned him straight, informing detectives following Pamela Rock’s death: “I wasn’t on vacation. I wasn’t sick that week. So this would have come across my desk, and I would have taken care of it personally.”
A representative with the Sheriff’s Office said they send out reports by fax, informing the I-TEAM, “We don’t keep a record of faxes. The report said it would be forwarded so we stand by the report as true and accurate and that it was sent.”
If Animal Control had actually reacted after Clough was assaulted, it might have designated the animals as “dangerous dogs” under Putnam County law — which might lead to the dogs being euthanized or signed up.
“My sister might still be with us,” Richard Rock said.
The dogs were euthanized after the attack on Pamela Rock.
“I’m very sorry it happened,” their owner said.
Had the dogs been categorized as hazardous, their owner might have dealt with a felony for the attack on Rock.
“And now we have people hurt, and there’s no accountability,” Tom Rock said.
Ten days prior to the deadly attack, Animal Control got a report of the dogs assaulting a car and left a note on their owners’ fence. He called them back and asked once again about giving up the dogs.
“He wanted us to come get the dogs, but due to our policy, we don’t take owner surrenders unless of dire needs,” Ferguson informed detectives. “And this is not a dire need situation because he just couldn’t afford them or whatever the need may be. We’re not going to take custody of somebody’s dogs just because.”
Animal Control has actually been a point of contention in the county for several years. It is housed in a confined center at the county land fill. The State Attorney’s Office examined the center in 2016 and discovered it was understaffed and underfunded however did not discover criminal misdeed.
The 2021 county budget plan reveals $750,000 assigned to build a brand-new Animal Control by the Sheriff’s Office, although building and construction has actually not started.
The budget plan likewise said that given that Animal Control vacated the umbrella of the Sheriff’s Office in 2014 to the Putnam County Planning and Development Services Department, it has actually released no citations, despite the fact that it has the authority to under the law.
“Out of sight, out of mind, total neglect…I thought they worked for the sheriff. It would make sense. and that would solidify the connectivity and meetings and all that stuff,” said Tom Rock.
Local animal activist Mike Merrill said the Sheriff’s Office and Animal Control still act on animal cases in the county, and he does not believe Animal Control is at fault in this case, keeping in mind shelters are at capability throughout the area. He recommends imposing necessary spay and sterilize laws would help.
“I think it’s a very tragic situation. But I think it’s a big mistake to try to blame the county. It’s a mistake to blame Animal Control and the sheriff,” Merrill said. “They can’t be everywhere. They can’t be responsible for everybody’s individual dogs.”
Clough has other concepts.
“I’d like to see they all go to jail,” Clough said. When asked to whom he was referring, Clough addressed, “Putnam County.”
The Rock family believes more must be done, too.
“Currently, we have a huge gap in the protection of citizens because of bureaucratic delays or inaction,” said Richard Rock.
Pamela Rock’s family is proposing an examination to identify who or what companies must be held responsible and what modifications must be made to make certain something like this never ever takes place once again.
Putnam County authorities have actually not reacted to News4JAX’s ask for remark.
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