What started as a cheerful Mother’s Day visit to the Wake County Animal Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, quickly turned traumatic. Lauren Seagroves brought her 8-year-old daughter to the shelter on May 12, 2025, hoping to find a shelter dog to adopt.
Instead, both ended up in the emergency room after a dog they were meeting lunged without warning and bit the young girl in the face. When Seagroves rushed in to help, the dog bit her repeatedly on the arms and hands.
Shelter Dog Named ‘Bagel’ Suddenly Attacks
The dog involved in the incident was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier named Bagel. According to shelter staff, Bagel had been behaving normally up to that point and showed no signs of aggression. But moments after entering the greeting room with a handler, the dog fixated on the child and lunged.
Witnesses say there was no provocation. “The dog came in calmly, but then it just snapped,” Seagroves told WRAL News. “It went straight for her face.”
Both mother and daughter were treated for their injuries. The child needed stitches, and Seagroves suffered multiple puncture wounds to her hands.
Shelter Protocols Under Scrutiny
Wake County officials quickly responded, saying the dog was quarantined and removed from the adoption program. The animal center has launched an internal investigation to determine whether procedures were followed and whether the dog had any overlooked behavioral red flags.
County spokesperson Stacey Beard acknowledged the seriousness of the attack:
“Any injury caused by an animal in our care is one too many. We are reviewing every part of the intake and evaluation process.”
The shelter is also reviewing how dogs are introduced to families and whether additional supervision or barriers might prevent future attacks.
Public Confidence Shaken
The incident has sparked debate on social media and within the local community. Some are calling for stricter rules around how dogs are vetted before being made available for adoption. Others, including rescue advocates, say incidents like this, while horrifying, are rare and often due to stress in shelter environments.
Still, the public is asking important questions:
- Were warning signs missed?
- Should more staff be present during dog meet-and-greets?
- Are families adequately warned about possible risks?
Animal behavior experts point out that shelters are high-stress environments for dogs, and even those that test well may act unpredictably in unfamiliar situations.
Tips for Safer Shelter Visits
After the incident, animal welfare groups and veterinarians have offered a few tips for families visiting shelters:
- Ask for the dog’s full behavioral history, including bite records or triggers.
- Keep young children at a distance until the dog has calmed and shown neutral body language.
- Have staff present and prepared to intervene if a dog becomes overstimulated or agitated.
- Use barriers like gates or leashes instead of direct contact during the first introduction.
Shelter Response Moving Forward
As of now, Bagel remains under quarantine while the Wake County Animal Center completes its review. Officials say the center will likely adjust its procedures and may implement mandatory behavior re-evaluations for all animals up for adoption.
The county has not indicated whether criminal charges are being considered or if civil liability is being pursued by the family. The mother and daughter are now recovering at home.
For many in the community, the incident is a reminder that even well-meaning shelter visits need caution, and that adopting a pet is never a risk-free decision.
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