Orange County officials have unanimously approved a $450,000 personal injury settlement to resolve a severe premises liability and negligence lawsuit filed by a former animal shelter volunteer.

The plaintiff, Emily Moncur, suffered severe and permanent injuries during an August 2023 incident at the county-run OC Animal Care facility in Tustin, California. According to court documents, Moncur was viciously mauled by a dog named Blaze—a Labrador-beagle mix with an undisclosed history of aggression—while attempting to return the animal to its kennel after a volunteer photography session.

The violent attack resulted in at least 18 bites and 96 puncture wounds across her arms, legs, neck, and buttocks, leaving the victim with lasting nerve damage and physical scarring.

Representing the plaintiff, attorney John Montevideo stated that the case focused on ensuring institutional accountability, describing the attack as a preventable incident caused by a clear dereliction of duties that unnecessarily increased the risks for shelter volunteers.

The litigation highlighted critical safety lapses at the facility, noting that understaffing and the shelter’s policy of encouraging employees to wear hearing protection directly contributed to a catastrophic five-to-seven-minute delay in emergency response while the victim’s screams went unheard.

While Orange County defense attorneys initially contested liability by claiming the volunteer assumed the risk of injury, the Orange County Board of Supervisors ultimately moved to settle the case rather than face a jury trial. This high-profile settlement underscores the strict legal standards for maintaining safe conditions on public property and the vital importance of transparent hazard disclosures for California workers and volunteers alike.

Read the FULL ARTICLE HERE in the Orange County Register.