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Pet Sitter Miraculously Survives Horrific Dog Attack

True Crime Nightmares
5 min readDec 23, 2024

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Jacqueline Durand before the incident.

Those of us who love animals know that spending time with dogs and cats in any capacity is usually a pleasure. Individuals who choose to make a living tending to our four-legged friends while their owners are away have the best of both worlds; they get to enjoy the company of pets while earning some extra cash. While this arrangement is a popular alternative to boarding, things can take a devastating turn when pet owners put caretakers in harm’s way, with tragic results.

College student Jacqueline Durand had been working as a pet sitter/dog walker for seven years in Dallas, Texas when she was contacted by Dr. Justin Bishop and his wife Ashley, who were looking for someone to care for their German shepherd mix, Lucy, a boxer mix called Bender, and a third dog that was not involved in what was to come.

As was her policy, Jacqueline insisted on having a meet and greet with the dogs prior to taking the job. She would later describe Lucy and Bender as having been “lovely” dogs in their owner’s presence. After spending some time with them and seeing no signs of aggression, she agreed to take the position.

During their meeting, Ashley had explained to Jacqueline that the dogs were kept confined when no one was home and that they would be crated when she arrived for her first day of work.

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True Crime Nightmares
True Crime Nightmares

Written by True Crime Nightmares

Author, victim advocate, true crime historian.

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