Dozens donate to family after Selma man killed by pack of dogs. What police know
Dozens of people joined together by Tuesday afternoon to provide donations to aid the family of Richard “Hutch” Barry, 59, killed Sunday when he was attacked by a pack of dogs while walking in Selma.
Selma police detective Matt Hughes, who is investigating the attack, identified the breed of dogs involved in the attack as English Bulldogs.
And Ron Berman, an expert in dog behavior who has testified in trials involving dog attacks, said any type of dog can exhibit aggressive behavior, but it would be difficult for a one person to defend himself against five medium-sized canines.
Police reported that Barry was walking Sunday afternoon near Goldridge and Balboa streets when the attack took place. The dogs escaped from a nearby home and set upon Barry, who had just left his brother Ron’s home.
Ron Barry and his wife, Teresa Barry, witnessed the attack while passing by in a car. Teresa Barry was bitten trying to defend Richard Barry. Police continued to investigate the case before forwarding it to the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office for possible charges against the dogs’ owners.
Forty-six people raised nearly $2,000 for Barry’s funeral. Teresa Barry is a caregiver for her husband, who suffers from ALS. The family calls what occurred Sunday a devastating loss.
Berman, the expert on aggressive dogs, said one man would stand little chance against five solidly build dogs with an aggressive pack leader.
The best chance a person would have, he said, would be to make themselves appear as large as possible and face down the leader. But it would never be a sure thing, he added, recounting a face-off he once had with an aggressive Doberman. He said he looked the dog in the eye and stopped him for a moment, before the dog continued to advance. Luckily, he said, he was able to get behind a gate.
Don’t ever run, he added.
And “there’s no guarantee of anything,” he added, about dealing with a dog pack. “Five dogs would be pretty confident.”