PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Matt Boiseau says his 5-year-old Cavalier King Charles mix, Charlie, was attacked and killed by a pit bull while on a walk in his Phoenix neighborhood.
He is now calling for changes to local law after authorities said no one would be held accountable.
Boiseau said he was walking his two dogs, Charlie and Chewey, near 32nd Street and Virginia Avenue Friday evening when the attack happened.
“And then we just heard a gate, like kind of like spring open. And then some kid was screaming. So I’m looking at the kid. I didn’t even notice the giant pit bull coming full speed at us,” Boiseau said.
He said the pit bull clamped its jaws onto Charlie. He said the attacking dog’s owner had to use a metal ladle to pry the dog’s jaw loose.
Charlie was rushed to an animal hospital but died on the way.
“It was sudden and it was violent and it was grotesque and it was like right in front of me,” Boiseau said. “It’s going to be with me for the rest of my life.”
He said he contacted police, who directed him to Maricopa County Animal Care and Control (MCACC). Boiseau said authorities told him the incident was classified as an accident because the latch on the gate was not secured.
“It just made a bad situation worse,” Boiseau said.
Under a Phoenix city ordinance, dogs are not permitted at large, meaning an animal cannot be off its owner’s property or unleashed. Owners who fail to follow the law could face a misdemeanor.
Boiseau said he wanted the attacking dog’s owners to be cited or fined, or for the dog to be confiscated or put down to keep others safe. He said the current law is not working as intended.
“The law is backwards. It’s encouraging the wrong things. It’s protecting the negligent,” Boiseau said.
He said he plans to contact elected officials to push for tougher laws against dog attacks.
“I would like there to be a change in the law. This is only the first step of what I plan on doing,” Boiseau said. “It would first mean that Charlie’s life wasn’t lost in vain.”
Boiseau has the option of taking the case to civil court, but said he is not sure he can afford to pursue legal action.
“I can’t think of a worse way to lose a pet than to just lose it senselessly like that,” he said.
Read MCACC’s full statement:
“Maricopa County Animal Care & Control officers responded to a report of a dog attack that occurred on February 27th, 2026. During the investigation, it was discovered a dog escaped the side gate of a home and a child was running behind trying to gain control of the dog before it began attacking another dog that was being walked on a leash. Unfortunately, the other dog did pass away following the incident. Our Field Officer spoke with the owner of the attacking dog, and at this time, the evidence presented does not meet the requirements for criminal charges. Additionally, there is no prior reported history at this address for a dog at large.
Dogs are defined as property by state law, and therefore, the loss of the dog would be a civil matter and handled in the civil court system, which the victim has the option to pursue.
Losing a pet is never easy—especially in such a sudden, traumatic way. We are heartbroken for the victims in this case.”
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