Orange County Supervisors agreed to settle a lawsuit with a former animal shelter volunteer for nearly half a million dollars after she was attacked by a dog and bitten 18 times across her body, according to court filings.
Emily Moncur was volunteering at OC Animal Care on Aug. 21, 2023, when she retrieved a dog named Blaze from his kennel.
According to the lawsuit, when Moncur returned Blaze to his kennel, the dog violently attacked her as she tried to leave, biting her at least 18 times across her arms, legs, buttocks and neck.
[Read: OC Animal Care Faces Negligence Lawsuit After Dog Mauling]
The Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a proposed settlement of $450,000 for this case during their closed session meeting on March 10, according to the minutes for that meeting.
“In this case, the plaintiff was serving as a volunteer at the OC animal shelter and was bitten by a dog and suffered serious physical injuries,” reads the minutes from that meeting. “The settlement approved today is subject to the final approval of others. When the settlement agreement is finalized, copies of the agreement will be made available through the Office of CEO-Risk Management to any person who inquires.”
Moncur filed a notice of settlement to the Orange County Superior Court on April 14. The document says it’s a conditional settlement for the entire case, and a request for dismissal will be filed by Aug. 12.
Additionally, a case management statement filed by county representatives to court on April 3 says the parties have agreed to settle the case and a document regarding dismissal should be filed soon.
At this time, a case management conference is scheduled for April 20.
Moncur’s lawsuit was originally filed in court last August and amended in October.
“As she was attacked, Plaintiff was pinned to the door of the kennel and was unable to release herself from the dog’s grip or slip through the door,” reads the lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court.
Moncur sued the county-run shelter, alleging negligence and claimed leaders unlawfully allowed her to handle a dangerous animal alone in a position without sufficient training or assistance in the case of an attack.
She was named one of the volunteers of the month by shelter leaders the year before the incident.
In a response to Moncur’s complaint filed in court in early December, county representatives previously claimed that employees acted in good faith and that any of Moncur’s injuries were her own fault.
“Any injury or damage suffered by Plaintiff was caused solely by reason of Plaintiff’s own wrongful acts and conduct and not by reason of any unlawful act or omission of this Defendant,” reads the response from the county.
“Plaintiff willingly, voluntarily, and knowingly assumed each, every, and all the risks and hazards involved in the activities referred to in the operative Complaint,” the county’s response continued.
“The Answering Defendant is not liable for injury or damages, if any there were, because Plaintiff was aware of the dangers and risks with respect to the alleged actions, and did knowingly, and voluntarily, and freely assume and expose themselves to said known risks.”
Angelina Hicks is the Voice of OC Collegiate News Service Editor. Contact her at ahicks@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @angelinahicks13.