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Two Dog Attacks Spark Manslaughter Charges in FL, NC

5/30/2026

46 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Two dog attacks led to manslaughter charges in Florida and North Carolina.
Linda Cutler, arrested after her dogs killed Jodi Cowan on May 19, remains jailed without bond.
Sheriff Wayne Ivey said officers can only issue citations, not seize the dogs, highlighting limits of Florida’s animal-control authority.
Dennis O’Keith Faulkner, charged with involuntary manslaughter after three dogs killed 84-year-old Betty Alston, is barred from owning animals.

History

Historical Context

In 1991 the UK passed the Dangerous Dogs Act, banning Pit Bull Terriers, Japanese Tosas and related types; the Home Office seized 2,300 dogs in its first year. Decades later, Florida’s Dennis O’Keith Faulkner and North Carolina’s Linda Cutler face manslaughter charges after their dogs killed victims, echoing the act’s liability model amid breed-specific laws in roughly 550 U.S. jurisdictions.

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Story summary

Two dog attacks led to manslaughter charges in Florida and North Carolina.
Linda Cutler, arrested after her dogs killed Jodi Cowan on May 19, remains jailed without bond.
Sheriff Wayne Ivey said officers can only issue citations, not seize the dogs, highlighting limits of Florida’s animal-control authority.
Dennis O’Keith Faulkner, charged with involuntary manslaughter after three dogs killed 84-year-old Betty Alston, is barred from owning animals.

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