Advocate and former city officer testifies Bendy was chasing another dog, not attacking a person

Shelly Burton, who said she previously worked for the City of Palm Coast as an animal-control officer and identifies herself as an advocate for dog owner Gabe and his dog Bendy, testified at an animal-control hearing that the dog was pursuing another dog when an injury occurred and was not aggressive toward people.

Burton told the panel she reviewed affidavits, spoke with Putnam County and Flagler Humane Society and found no prior incidents involving Bendy. "When you enter Holland Park, it does say enter at your own risk... We don't know how dogs are gonna act with each other," Burton said, noting the park's warning and the speed at which dog interactions can escalate. She said she had personally met Bendy and observed he was "very friendly" though "a little...mouthy" after kennel confinement.

Burton summarized the apparent sequence from the video and witness statements: the dog went after the other dog, and the injured woman intervened with her head and arms near the animals, after which the injured party's ear was apparently bitten. "The biggest thing that I'm saying here is that the dog didn't attack her," Burton said, adding that Bendy had no documented prior bite incidents and thus "is not dangerous to our community as far as other people." She recommended the owner keep the dog out of dog parks until the animal received training.

Burton's observations were presented under cross-examination, where attorneys verified she was unpaid for her testimony and that her knowledge came from documents and the video she reviewed prior to the hearing.