Pit Bull Attack that Killed USPS Mail Carrier Spurs Tougher Dangerous

ANIMAL WATCH - Almost three years after the fatal mauling of a USPS Rural Mail Carrier Pamela Rock by a pack of five dogs identified as “Pit Bull mixes,” her family announced they “had not given in to the dismissive attitude by Putnam County’s local government and animal control agencies, and they took their plea for laws restricting ownership of dangerous dogs to Florida State representatives. “

On April 23, 2024, Jacksonville Today reported that, “The Florida House has unanimously passed a bill (HB 593) that requires the impounding of dogs that have injured or killed someone. It also requires owners of dogs classified as ‘dangerous’ to buy $100,000 in liability insurance.”

The report further advised, “an identical Bill is working its way through the Senate (SB 572) but has not reached a final vote. The Bills honor Putnam County postal employee Pam Rock, who was killed while delivering mail in 2022 in Interlachen.”

Pam Rock’s brother, Tom Rock, joining other family members in wearing a “Pam Rock 1961-2022” memorial T-shirt, encouraged lawmakers on the Senate’s Fiscal Policy Committee to vote for the bill.

He asked, “How many more families need to endure this pain, and how many more people like Pam will die by just doing their job, delivering mail, packages and knocking on a door? You have the power today to say “yes.” Move this bill forward; make Florida safer for our seniors and families,” he urged.

WHAT IS THE “PAM ROCK LAW?”

If signed into law, the Bill, called the “Pam Rock Law,” would require owners of dangerous dogs to keep them in a secure enclosure, with warning signs posted, and the animal must be registered with the County.

The dog owner would also be required to have $100,000 in liability insurance.

The Bill appears to grant greater control of, and stricter liability for, anyone who owns a dog that harms or kills an animal or human. But a major concern is that this requires the ability to define, or measure, the level of aggression in order to impose the proper restrictions. For instance, at what point does an “aggressive” dog become “vicious” or “dangerous?”

See: USPS Mail Carriers Face Dangerous Dog Attacks and Increasingly Violent Crimes

THE ATTACK ON PAM ROCK

Photo provided by victim’s brother, Tom Rock.

The violent fatal attack on Pam Rock, a 61- year-old grandmother and new USPS Rural Mail Carrier occurred her first week on the job in 2022 on a Sunday afternoon, after her delivery truck broke down in a desolate area of Putnam County, near a house where at least five dogs were kept—identified as Pit Bull-mixes.

The dogs broke through the inadequate fencing, from which they had reportedly escaped often before, and savagely attacked her on August 21, 2022. After a valiant fight, Pam died the next day from the severity of her injuries.

DOGS REPORTED “LOOSE AND DANGEROUS” BEFORE

This was not the first time these dogs had been reported as “loose and dangerous.” However, when Putnam County Animal Control officials were questioned as to why they did not immediately impound the dogs, the agency spokesperson said that, “by the time they got there, the dogs were inside the fencing and, therefore, no violation was observed.”

It is hard to excuse a fatal mauling merely because a local agency did not respond promptly. Undoubtedly, there were dogs with blood on them and a woman who was hospitalized from bites leaving evidence on her truck and surrounding ground. Apparently, Putnam County decided if no one directly witnessed the incident, it didn’t happen and/or really didn’t matter.

Throughout this report, the death of Pam Rock reverts back to a current and past failure of the local animal control agency. There were many opportunities to justifiably impound these Pit Bull-mix dogs, which were not receiving adequate food or care. There was justification to euthanize them as dangerous animals. There were prior attacks on humans and even on a car, which indicated their aggression. The entire report is filled with the excuses of not receiving documents or electronic transmissions. The added tragedy is there is no indication of any intended upgrades or badly needed funding, even after these failures were disclosed and Pam Rock had died.

HER FAMILY WON’T LET PAMELA ROCK’S LIFE BE FORGOTTEN

First, her family fought to get the post office name changed to honor her. The "Pamela Jane Rock Post Office" is located at 859 North State Road 21 in Melrose, Florida.

Now they are seeking to bring in what is hoped to be more effective law-enforcement regarding the ownership of dangerous/vicious dogs statewide.

PROTECTIONS THE FAMILY HOPES TO CREATE IN PAM’S HONOR

Family members were present at the Florida State Legislature on April 23, 2025, when legislators unanimously passed a Bill creating a “dangerous dog registry.” which will now progress to a state Senate committee as part of the Pam Rock Act, the Bill’s author, Rep. Bobby Payne, R-Palatka, announced.

The “Pam Rock Act” is hoped to also provide residents with a searchable database containing information regarding dogs deemed hazardous. The dog's name, photograph, chip, sterilization and rabies vaccination records and evidence of a proper enclosure with “dangerous dog” signs would fill out the registry.

The Bill alleges that dog attacks occur due to owners’ failure to confine and properly train them and would also require dangerous dogs’ owners to have liability insurance.

Animal control officials can impound a dog inflicting “severe injury” on a person or domestic animal or chasing a passerby unprovoked, following an investigation. Any dogs not impounded by animal control officials would require a “proper” enclosure.”

The legislation also allows officials to “destroy” repeat-offending dogs.

“The dangerous dog must be immediately confiscated by an animal control authority; and placed in quarantine, if necessary, for the proper length of time; or impounded; and held for 10 business days after the owner is given written notification ... and thereafter destroyed in an expeditious and humane manner,” the Act states.

“What we found is that at the federal level and at the state level there was no true culpability as to the animal owner,” Rep. Payne said, according to WJAX.

He stressed the legislation will only impact “hazardous” dogs. (Another category of aggression that is not clearly defined.)

OUTCOME OF STATE INVESTIGATION OF PAM ROCK’S ATTACK AND DEATH

“We have to get the irresponsible dog owners to take responsibility for their dog(s), whether they find out they're dangerous or not,” said Maria Rock-Risse, Pam Rock’s sister.

FLORIDA ALREADY HAS A NEW “DANGEROUS DOG” LAW -- STATUTE 767 (2023), WHICH IS NOT BEING ENFORCED

The 2023 law prevents local governments and public housing authorities from adopting policies or ordinances that designate a dog as “dangerous“ based solely on its breed, size, or weight.

Regardless of breed, certain dogs are considered dangerous under Florida law. Florida State Statute 767:

The following are already on the dangerous-dog-description list in Florida:

· One that has aggressively bitten, attacked, or endangered a person on public or private property

· One that has severely injured or killed a domestic animal off its owner’s property more than once

· One that has chased or menacingly approached a person in public

Individuals who have been bitten or attacked by a dangerous dog in Florida may be entitled to sue the negligent owner for their injuries.

STATE ADMITS “DOG ATTACKS ARE A GROWING PROBLEM”

In passing Statute 767, the Florida legislature addressed its contention that dog attacks are a growing problem. It says that “specific requirements are necessary to ensure dangerous dog owners are held responsible for the confinement and training of their animals, as follows:

Securely confine their dog
Display a prominent sign at the entrance of their property, warning visitors of the presence of a dangerous dog.
Obtain liability insurance to cover injuries caused by their dog
Muzzle and leash their dog when outside the dog’s enclosure
Keep their dog under the control of a responsible adult

NEW “DANGEROUS DOG” LAWS (2025) “PAM ROCK ACT”

Require owners to keep "dangerous dogs" in a secure enclosure; with warning signs advising that “dangerous” dogs are being maintained at the location; and require that any dog that has a prior history of attacking/harming anyone or any other animal “must be registered with the County as “dangerous.” The dog owner would also be required to have $100,000 in liability insurance.

DEFINING “TRULY AGGRESSIVE,” “HAZARDOUS, AND “DANGEROUS” DOG BEHAVIOR, ETC.

Micheal Bricker , Putnam County’s Chief of Animal Care and Protective Services, explained that a “dangerous dog” is defined as:

“A dog that has caused severe injuries, a dog that has bitten multiple times, broken bones, or a dog that is “truly aggressive."

Unfortunately, there was no explanation or definition of what constitutes “truly aggressive,” or the procedure which will make this statewide law enforceable?

CURRENT FLORIDA “DANGEROUS DOG” STATUTES

Under CURRENT Florida Statutes § 767.11, a dog may be classified as "dangerous" if it meets one or more of the following criteria: It has aggressively attacked, bitten, or inflicted severe injury on a person without provocation,” or “It has severely injured or killed a domestic animal when off its owner's property.

NEW CS/HB 593: Dangerous Dogs

GENERAL BILL by Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee; Sapp ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Barnaby ; Driskell ; López, J.; Partington; Valdés

Dangerous Dogs: Requires, rather than authorizes, certain dogs to be confiscated, impounded, & held; requires animal control authorities to provide certain information to potential adopters; revises requirements for owners of dangerous dogs; revises civil penalty for violations.

Effective Date: 7/1/2025
Last Action: 4/23/2025 Senate - Received
Bill Text: PDF

NO INDICATION FUNDING WILL BE PROVIDED TO ENFORCE NEW 2025 LAW

Regardless of obstacles, the Rock family hopes the “Pam Rock Law” will pass and go into effect in July 2025.

No charges brought in dog attack on Pam Rock

On Mar 2, 2023, the Palatka Daily News reported, “A state Attorney’s Office investigation into the dog-attack death of a postal worker in Interlachen revealed the dogs’ owner made numerous attempts to get rid of them prior to the fatal attack. (These attempts were described as requesting the local animal shelter to take them because he could not provide care.) In response, animal control denied receiving such requests.

In a November memorandum, the state officials summarized the Pam Rock-attack investigation and stated they found insufficient evidence to prove the dogs’ owner “demonstrated a willful or wanton reckless disregard under the circumstances beyond and to the exclusion of a reasonable doubt.”

THE REAL REASONS OWNER OF DOGS WAS NOT CHARGED WITH PAM ROCK’s DEATH

In the memo, State Attorney R.J. Larizza’s office states the dogs’ owner contacted Putnam County Animal Control multiple times prior to Rock’s death to get the shelter to take custody of his dogs.’

On February 28, 2023, the I-TEAM News4JAX reported “Investigators find no wrongdoing after Postal worker dies in Putnam County dog attack.

The State Attorney’s Office told reporters it is not filing charges against the dog owner and OSHA investigation did not result in any safety violations. The memo explained that “federal and local investigations didn’t find wrongdoing by Rock’s employer or the dogs’ owner.”

The State Attorney also stated that “the dogs’ owner tried to surrender them twice, including 10 days before the attack. However, there was an admission that there were at least four incidents involving the dogs in the past few months prior to the attack.”

In February 2022, the memo said, the dog’s owner called Putnam County Animal Control and left a message saying he needed to surrender some dogs because “he could no longer care for them.” Animal Control staff told investigators no one ever returned this call or followed up with the owner.

Then, eleven days after the dogs escaped and attacked a 50-year-old man, who was hospitalized, allegedly a sheriff’s deputy told the dog’s owner to quarantine the dogs and that Animal Control would contact him, but later Putnam County Animal Control claimed that it never received that police report and that they were not contacted by the dogs’ owner.

Then on August 10, 2022, a woman reported that one of the dogs had escaped and attacked her car, which was damaged, but no one was hurt. After that the owner tried to surrender the dogs again to animal control. However, his request was declined, “based on Putnam County Animal Control’s assessment of the situation.

One of the animal control officials stated that they would not take privately owned dogs just because the owner didn’t want them or says he cannot afford to feed them.

Ten days after that, the dogs escaped again and savagely attacked Pamela Rock.

“The Sheriff’s Office reported it recommended misdemeanor recklessness charges on the part of the dog owner, but the State Attorney investigation found he wasn’t reckless, based on the fact that he had taken actions to get rid of the dogs and also had tried to fix the fence.”

(Phyllis M. Daugherty is a former Los Angeles City employee, an animal activist and a contributor to CityWatch.)