Brutal and deadly dog attack shocks Egg Harbor Township and shakes up organization

✅ The owners of a small dog say an larger dog pulled it out of its owner's arms

✅ The larger dog's owner, Reed's Farms, issued two public apologies

✅ Police will investigate the incident

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — A South Jersey family is shattered after a massive farm dog tore their beloved little pooch from its owner's arms and mauled him to death in a gruesome attack that has left the community demanding answers.

The incident on Tuesday also forced one of the founders of the nonprofit farm, who was walking the large killer dog, to resign from his position.

On Facebook, Amanda Frazier told the heartbreaking story of how her small Ameechi was ripped from her son's arms by Mitra, an Anatolian shepherd working dog at Reed's Farm in Egg Harbor Township.

"The dog ripped Ameechi out of Mikey’s arms and started ripping holes in his body. Mikey said Meechi was yelping and screaming the entire time. His organs were visible. Mikey tried fighting the dog off of our dog and also got bit and hurt in the process. He carried Ameechi home covered in blood and we scrambled trying to get him to the vet," Frazier's post says.

The family pet did not make it. The vet said Ameechi was in "excruciating pain" and suffered internal bleeding, broken ribs that punctured his lungs and organs that were visible, according to Frazier.

Farm organization apologizes for the dog attack

An Anatolian shepherd typically weighs as much as 150 pounds and are "profusely muscled," according to the American Kennel Club. The breed of the smaller dog was not disclosed by its family.

Mitra was being walked by the farm's co-founder, Leonard Varvaro, who has since resigned from the organization's board, according to Breaking AC, which was first to report the incident.  In one of two Facebook posts, the farm said it was "deeply distraught" by the incident and accepted responsibility for the attack.

"We are devastated over the tragic loss of another animal's life and for the loving family who is mourning," their written statement says.

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Incident spurs online 'venom and hate'

The farm also shared a message signed by "Cookie and the entire Reed's family," explaining that Mitra has never tried to attack another dog.

"I also understand that you will feel the need to sue us for this. I also know that by posting this it puts us in a position for more venom and hate," their statement says.

Comments for both posts by the farm have been shut off.

Egg Harbor Township police Chief Fred Spano said the department is heartbroken over the incident and that one of the department's human law enforcement officers is investigating.

"Sometimes accidents happen but we're going to look at it to ensure that nothing of a criminal nature happened, which we don't believe occurred, or whether or not there's township ordinance violations that occurred that were violated," Spano said.

The chief said he is not aware of any other incidents involving either dog.

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