Teri Angel was viciously attacked by a dog on Sept. 17, 2021, inside the Guntersville home of Valina Jackson. Angel suffered severe injuries to her head and arms, and a drawn-out court battle ensued as Jackson tried to save her pit bull terrier mix, Havoc, from euthanasia.
Jackson took her case from Guntersville Municipal Court to the Alabama Supreme Court, where it was finally decided that Havoc was a “dangerous dog.” He was put down in January of this year.
While Angel’s physical wounds may have healed, she said she still suffers from the emotional trauma of the attack.
Jackson said she misses her dog and blames Angel for overreacting and lying about the incident.
The two Marshall County women were featured Friday on an episode of “The Dr. Phil Show” to further hash things out.
Angel recounted to Dr. Phil how, on that day over a year ago, she visited Jackson at her home in Guntersville. After letting Jackson know she was coming over, Angel said she entered Jackson's home and was greeted by Havoc, who brought her one of his toys. However, without warning, the dog attacked Angel, tearing off part of her scalp and leaving deep bite marks on her arms. Angel was taken to the hospital by a friend to have her wounds treated.
Jackson said on the show that though she and Angel had been friends, Angel barged into her house unannounced like a "burglar," possibly leading to the dog being on edge. Jackson downplayed Angel's injuries even though pictures showed part of Angle's scalp ripped off to the bone and deep puncture marks in her arms.
Jackson also claimed her rental insurance didn't cover any costs of damage related to the incident because Angel didn't knock on the door before entering, but Angel said her costs were covered by insurance.
"Now wait a minute," Dr. Phil said. "There aren't versions of the truth. She was either invited into the home, or she wasn't. [The insurance] either paid or they didn't, and this was either a serious attack or it wasn't."
"Exactly," Jackson responded.
Angel told 1819 News she was reluctant to go on TV at first but was glad she did to give her side of events.
"The producer reached out to me and realized real quick that all they had been told were lies and asked me to come also," she said. "I originally told them no because of work, but I could not let her go and me not be there to get the facts out."
Jackson said her appearance on the show went "worse than you can imagine," and she felt like she was misled by the producers.
"They lied to me the whole time," she told 1819 News.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email daniel.taylor@1819news.com.
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