Man attacked in Pasadena after argument over off-leash dogs
Pasadena police are searching for a suspect accused of attacking a man for not having his two dogs on a leash.
PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) — Police are looking for an assailant accused of attacking a man on a popular Pasadena trail over the weekend.
William Woods says he was attacked while walking along Arroyo Boulevard. He says it was all over his two dogs, Woof and Kibble.
“My wife is terrified,” Woods told Eyewitness News. “I’m kind of worried that if this goes anywhere, he could come back and get me.”
The incident happened Saturday. He says a person walking with two girls saw his dogs were off leash and didn’t approve.
“This guy starts yelling at me about how you gotta have your dog on a leash, it’s illegal not to, and I said thank you,” Wood recounted. “I didn’t want to get into anything.
“Frankly, some f-bombs were tossed… Then he charged me. So he picked me up and threw me, and I picked myself up and I thought I’ve been wronged here.”
Woods says he got up to take pictures of the man, and he was attacked a second time.
“It was a violent enough approach that my glasses – I’m blind without them – were about 40 feet away,” he said.
Photos of Woods’ injuries show he was bloodied on his leg and arm. He immediately reported it to police.
Pasadena city spokesperson Lisa Derderian said Woods having his dogs off leash is illegal, but it shouldn’t have led to an attack.
Woods said he understands it is illegal to have the dogs off leash in that area.
“If I ever get a ticket, I will pay it,” he said.
Officials say Pasadena police searched for the suspect. As of now, police don’t know who he is.
“We encourage people to please call the Pasadena Police Department with any information because this is an ongoing investigation and any additional leads will be helpful to us,” Derderian said.
Woods says all he can do is wait to see if police find the suspect.
Ashton Kutcher, Mandy Moore, Rebel Wilson and More React to Deadly Attack on Hanukkah Celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach
At least 16 people were killed and more than three dozen were injured when two gunmen opened fire on Australia’s famous beach.
By Carly ThomasPlus Icon
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Hollywood notables, including Ashton Kutcher, Mandy Moore, Rebel Wilson and others, have taken to social media to share their reactions to the deadly massacre on Bondi Beach in Sydney.
On Dec. 14, two gunmen attacked a Hanukkah celebration taking place on the famous beach, killing at least 16 people, including a 12-year-old child, and injuring 38 others, including two police officers, the Associated Press reported. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the attack an act of antisemitic terrorism that struck at the heart of the nation. One gunman was fatally shot by police and the second was arrested and in critical condition, authorities said.
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Following the attack, Kutcher took to X, writing, “Antisemitic rhetoric is not abstract — it carries a cost, and my brothers and sisters continue to pay it. May this devastation somehow spark a hidden miracle, one our eyes do not yet have the merit to see.”
Wilson also wrote on her Instagram Story, “Just waking up to the news about what’s happened on Bondi Beach. An absolute tragedy that is the most un-Australian thing to have happen. We shouldn’t have gun violence in Australia, we shouldn’t have antisemitism — it’s not us! Thinking of everyone affected by this devastating violence.”
Actress Gal Gadot shared an encouraging message amid the tragedy, writing, “My heart is shattered. Following the antisemitic terror attack on Bondi Beach, Australia, the grief is immense.… The darkness deliberately struck at a sacred moment of community and hope.”
She continued on Instagram, “It is easy to feel defeated. But let us be clear: our strength is not in despair, but in the light we fiercely choose to create in this terrible void. We must honor the victims not with silence, but by demanding a world where every life is safe, and by choosing empathy and unity above all else. Send light into the darkness. Let’s make sure love is the loudest voice. I will light my Chanukah candle tonight in their honor and for a world of light. Only light.”
Moore echoed the heartbreak, sharing on her Instagram Story, “On the first night of Hanukkah and in a country with very strict gun control laws. Absolutely devastating. My heart is with all my Jewish friends around the world.”
Country singer Maren Morris shared the news on her social media, writing, “Horrible. My heart goes out [to] Australia right now.”
Troye Sivan also wrote on his Instagram, “The Australian Jewish community — my community — suffered a terrorist attack tonight, on the first night of Chanukah, on Bondi Beach. My heart is broken. Thinking tonight of the victims and their families, the Bondi and wider Sydney communities, and for every Jewish person in this country. This is not who we are as Australians. Sending so much love to all.”
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy was asked about the massacre during an appearance on Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing, to which he responded, “I mean, it’s sadness, it’s tragic. And there’s a lot of tragic news. I actually tweeted out, I mean, between this, between Brown University, the Syria attacks, you don’t even want to turn on the TV. I wish I could say I’m shocked or surprised, but attacks like these seem borderline inevitable with what’s going on in the world. It’s tragic and it’s sad, but not surprising. And that in itself is probably, you know, the saddest part of it that I’m not surprised.”
He later added to Peter Doocy, “I see, you know, people are doing, being anti-Semitic just openly, and there doesn’t seem to be a whole heck of a lot of pushback. There seems to be a lot of excuses for it. If Jews, anti-Semitic attacks, whatever, Jews deserved it. If Jews retaliate, it’s the Jews’ fault. No matter what it is, it’s the Jews’ fault. So that is the world we live in right now, and people want to make excuses or say, you know, minimize it.
Comedian, actor and writer Alex Edelman took to his X account to share a famous photo taken by Rachel Posner in 1932 of a brass menorah, the candlestick used to mark the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, sitting in front of her window, with the Nazi’s swastika flag flying prominently in the background.
Edelman wrote in the post, “I think of this photo a lot. The owner, Rachel Posner, donated it to Yad Vashem, and on the back wrote in German: “Chanukah 5692 (1932). ‘Death to Judah,’ so the flag says. ‘Judah will live forever,’ so the light answers.” Some lights cannot be extinguished. Chag Sameach.”
Status Dogs & Cane Corsos: Why the Real Issue Isn’t the Breed · Kinship
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Is the Cane Corso the New Status Dog? Here’s Why That’s a Problem
The rise of Cane Corsos as status dogs highlights deeper issues in the dog world
“XL Bully on steroids.” “Killing machine.” Just some of the sensationalist headlines about Cane Corsos in recent months. Many sprung up after Love Island 2018 winner Jack Fincham was sentenced to six weeks in prison in January 2025 after his Cane Corso was found to be dangerously out of control on two occasions. (He was released on bail the same day pending an appeal.)
While there aren’t any official stats on how many Cane Corsos currently exist in the UK, the number of celebrities that have fallen for the breed – Marcus Rashford, Megan Thee Stallion and Ronan Keating to name a few – suggests numbers could be increasing. And with the XL Bully ban still in place, Cane Corsos could well be on their way to becoming the new ‘status dog’ – a potentially problematic position for any breed to find themselves in.
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But what exactly is a ‘status dog’, and why is this term itself problematic? Over the years, the label has been applied to breeds such as Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, Pit Bulls and XL Bullies, often reinforcing negative stereotypes of ‘aggressive’ breeds, rather than addressing the root issue: irresponsible ownership. The problem isn’t the breed but how certain dogs are acquired, handled and sometimes exploited to send a message.
The Cane Corso
An Italian Mastiff breed reportedly descended from ancient Roman ‘war dogs’, Cane Corsos have a history as guard dogs. In the distant past, they were also used to hunt larger animals and to protect and gather livestock. They can weigh up to 50kg, with a bite strength equivalent to a lion’s (650–700 PSI), making them a strong, powerful breed that may not be suitable for inexperienced pet parents.
People “need to be aware of the size these adult dogs grow to and, most importantly, their historical role” in aggression towards people and other animals, explains animal behaviour consultant and expert witness Dr Candy d’Sa. “It is not enough to think that they will train their dog well and consequently not experience any problems.”
But as certified animal behaviourist Jessica Hyams from Little & Large Dogs says, “As long as people understand they’re quite slow-paced and will guard, they can be relatively easy dogs to have. They love to sniff, they love to play and a little bit of gentle training. Following that recipe, you can have a nice, well-rounded, happy dog.”
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The status dog trend
Several breeds have been given the ‘status dog’ label in the past, including Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, Pit Bulls and XL Bullies. The term describes how people use a particular dog to send a certain message or showcase a certain lifestyle.
The term and its meaning has changed as time goes on. For example, 10–15 years ago, pedigree dogs may have been more desirable and so-called ‘mutts’ less so. Nowadays, crossbreeds, such as Cockapoos are all the rage. While ‘status dog’ can be used to describe breeds that are currently ‘fashionable’, these days it’s more commonly used when big, powerful dogs get wrapped up in antisocial behaviour.
So how does the world of influencers and celebs fit into this? Well, while ‘status dogs’ may have originally been linked to gangs, the rich and famous appear to now parade those same types of dogs. Often, Cane Corsos are imported with cropped ears and docked tails (traumatic practices which are illegal in the UK) and have been bought with the aim of personal and property protection.
“Many fans of large Bully breeds are now put off by the XL Bully ban, so the Cane Corso ticks a lot of boxes there. I am seeing a great many now which have been seized by police due to being used as protection or status dogs,” says Dr d’Sa. “Social media is very detrimental to dog welfare too. If reality stars and footballers have a certain breed, their fans tend to follow.”
Jessica adds that “people often forget they are guardian breeds. So if you’re in a flat in London and you like to have visitors come around, a dog like this could pose an issue if the correct training methods and the right kind of socialisation aren’t practised from puppyhood.”
There’s also a lack of consideration for how medical issues impact behaviour, says Jessica. “All the Cane Corsos I work with at the moment have some kind of gait issue, which is painful for them. Without understanding that these dogs can be prone to painful conditions, you may misinterpret their behaviour or not get to the root cause of any behavioural issues.”
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The wider issue
No matter the breed, the issues remain the same. Using a big, strong dog as a potential weapon or symbol of status arguably creates demand – especially when you have influencers and A-Listers involved. (“Social media stars have money. They don’t deal with the everyday ownership of a dog themselves,” points out Dr d’Sa.)
And that creates a bigger market for irresponsible breeders who breed dogs purely for profit, rather than considering wider issues such as physical and mental health – two factors which can have a big impact on a dog’s future behaviour. This, in turn, leads to people getting a likely unhealthy dog they aren’t prepared for and failing to meet the basic needs of that dog or invest time and money into appropriate socialisation and training.
Couple that with some breeds’ genetic predisposition for ‘stranger danger’ and the idea that such breeds need to be trained using harsh methods (which can increase the risk of behavioural issues like aggression) and you have a recipe for disaster.
Why breed bans don’t work
Despite the government’s reliance on breed bans, evidence suggests they are ineffective at reducing dog attacks. Recently, police admitted they hadn’t seen any evidence that the XL Bully ban had reduced the number of dog attacks yet. In fact, according to numbers obtained by The Independent, the number of attacks increased in the first few months of the ban.
The number of hospital admissions for dog bites in England also increased from 2022–23 to 2023–24. This won’t be surprising to those who opposed the ban. Back in October 2023, the Dog Control Coalition – a body of organisations including the RSPCA and the British Veterinary Association – said it was “disappointed” that the government hadn’t “taken the opportunity to completely overhaul the Dangerous Dogs Act. With its continued focus on specific breeds, rather than a focus on prevention and implementation of tougher penalties for those owners not in control of their dogs, it is not fit for purpose.”
Currently, the Dangerous Dogs Act bans people from owning, selling, breeding, rehoming or abandoning five types of dog: the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasilerio and American XL Bully. But allowing any dog to be dangerously out of control in public or private is also against the law. That means you can still receive an unlimited fine and/or be sentenced to prison if your dog injures someone (or an assistance dog), or makes someone reasonably fear that they could be injured. Your dog can also be seized by police and put to sleep.
The government has long been criticised for not doing anything to help prevent dog incidents, instead just using the threat of punishment to deter people and promoting the idea that certain dogs are more likely to bite. Existing laws don’t sufficiently tackle the irresponsible breeding that leads to dogs being born with various health and temperamental issues.
Nor has the government put in place a way of assessing whether potential pet parents are in fact suitable to have a dog, even though ideas such as dog licences have been proposed. Even the dog training industry isn’t regulated, meaning anyone can call themselves a dog trainer or behaviourist.
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What needs to change?
Both Jessica and Dr d’Sa have ideas on what should change. “Regulation of training videos and human-to-dog interactions on social media would be really beneficial,” says Jessica. No more “funny” videos where dogs are evidently stressed. “Bringing in breeding licenses and some really high standards for breeding with a cap on numbers” would be another.
Dr d’Sa highlights licensing and regulation for pet parents, too, “to include compulsory training and compulsory insurance.” She also believes “strict regulations on dogs being imported” or an outright ban would help along with licensing of rescues and charities “to prevent unsafe and inappropriate rehoming.”
Finally, Jessica states, “better recognition of pain in dogs and understanding as to why pain in dogs might cause aggression. With that would come an understanding of why we shouldn’t be using painful tools.”
There are things we can do to make a difference right now though. We can think hard about whether our lives are suitable for a dog and if they are, which breed would best fit, rather than opting for which breed is the most popular.
We can do our research when it comes to buying or adopting a dog, ensuring that we hand over our money to ethical individuals and organisations. And we can educate ourselves on dog behaviour and body language so we spot early signs that our dogs are struggling and understand when we need to reach out to a reward-based professional for help.
As for Cane Corsos? It remains to be seen whether they, or another breed, will go the way of the XL Bully. No breed is inherently “aggressive”, and demonising the Cane Corso is not the way forward. But we must remember that a behavioural issue in a larger dog could be more difficult to deal with – simply due to their strength and the increased risk that comes with that.
