A Texas man who vanished months ago, kicking off an investigation that recently concluded he was eaten by some of his 18 dogs, loved his pets, his sister said.
Freddie Mack, 57, was “entirely consumed by his own dogs,” authorities said this week.
Malinda Dixon, Mack’s sister, said that the collection of dogs was highly valued by her brother, who would take in dogs dropped off by people in his community.
“He called them his babies,” Dixon told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “He had a heart of gold and could not stand to see a dog suffer.”
The dogs didn’t do well with people they didn’t know but Mack himself didn’t have issues with them, Dixon said, describing them as “protectors.”
She said he spent hundreds of dollars on dog food every month.
“Freddie was a kind-hearted man,” she said. “It’s going to be a big loss.”
Investigation
Family members hadn’t been able to get near Mack’s rural home because the animals were too aggressive and officials ultimately put down 13 of them, with two others being killed during the investigation.
According to Johnson County court records, Mack was cited for a misdemeanor in 2013 for “animals running at large.” He paid a $175 fine and wasn’t cited again.
Evidence in the case included pieces of Mack’s only set of clothing being found in dog feces. Bone fragments found on the property were tested and matched Mack’s DNA profile.
Authorities said it wasn’t clear whether Mack’s dogs killed him or if he was already dead when they ate him.
“During the course of our investigation it was found that Freddie suffered from serious medical conditions so we will never know if the dogs killed Mr. Mack or consumed him after he died from a medical condition,” said Sheriff Adam King with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in a statement sent to news outlets.
“Either way, it is a very gruesome event and we extend our sympathy to Freddy Mack’s family.”
Deputy Aaron Pitts told the Associated Press that little was left of Mack besides the small bone fragments.
“Never have we ever, or anyone we’ve spoken to, heard of an entire human being consumed,” Pitts said. “The bones were completely broken up and eaten.”
He said that the three remaining dogs were put up for adoption and that Mack seemed to take good care of the dogs. Deputies had gone to the property in 2017 when Mack called from the hospital and asked them to check on the animals.
“This man loved his animals,” he said.
Killed by Dogs
Dozens of people are killed by dogs every year in the United States.
A study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2013, examining 256 dog bite-related fatalities from 2000 to 2009, found that the main factors of such fatalities included the absence of an able-bodied person to intervene, incidental or no familiar relationship of victims with dogs, and owner failure to neuter dogs.
Researchers concluded that most of the deaths were characterized by “preventable factors.”
