57-Year-Old Man Mauled to Death at Animal Shelter by 2 Dogs That Were Rescued From Abuse and Fighting

A tragic incident unfolded at a Mississippi animal shelter when a longtime worker was fatally mauled by two dogs in his care.

Clifford Phillips Jr., 57, was attacked and killed on the afternoon of July 18 while working at Second Chance Animal Alliance, a nonprofit shelter in Water Valley, according to WREG News.

“A dog was already in a pen and he was trying to put another dog in there,” said Phillips’ friend Dudley Woods. “The other dog tried to run out, and he tried to hold him off with his foot. That dog grabbed his leg and pulled him down. Then the other dog jumped in.”

“One of them was a pit, and the other a pit mix. They killed him. They got it all on tape down there,” Woods added.

Police fatally shot one of the dogs so that emergency personnel could reach Phillips, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the North Mississippi Herald and The Independent.

The male dog that initiated the attack was later euthanized.

More than a dozen dogs were housed at the facility at the time, including the two involved in the fatal incident. According to Yalobusha County Sheriff Jermain Gooch, the canines had been taken into custody as part of a court order tied to an animal abuse and dog fighting case.

Phillips had worked at the shelter for two years and had moved with his family to Water Valley from Wisconsin in 2007, per his obituary.

“His quiet and caring demeanor helped him foster a love for animals,” the obituary states. “He often felt more comfortable around his pets than people, perhaps recalling the time he spent with Eon, his beloved childhood dog … He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.”

A memorial service for Phillips was held on July 24 at Sylva Rena Baptist Church in Mississippi.