Fox Business Network anchor Jackie DeAngelis filed a lawsuit against Whole Foods, claiming the grocery chain failed to prevent a dog bite that caused her serious injuries in September 2023.
DeAngelis, 46, was shopping at the Whole Foods location at 10 Columbus Circle in Manhattan when a black pit bull bit her on the hand. The co-host of “The Big Money Show” says the attack required surgery and left her with permanent scarring, reduced mobility and difficulty performing everyday tasks.
The complaint, filed August 20 in Manhattan Supreme Court, alleges that Whole Foods failed to enforce its own policy prohibiting animals inside the store. DeAngelis is seeking unspecified damages for medical expenses, emotional distress and other losses related to the incident.
What The Lawsuit Claims
DeAngelis argues that the dog was not a legitimate service animal and should never have been permitted inside the grocery store. Whole Foods prohibits pets but allows service animals as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Under federal law, a service dog must be individually trained to perform work or tasks related to a person’s disability. Emotional support animals alone do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
The lawsuit contends that Whole Foods failed to reasonably enforce its animal policies and did not exercise adequate care in regulating animals on its property. The dog and its owner left the store before police arrived.
Broader Context On Dog Attacks
The case intersects with ongoing debate about severe dog attacks and breed-related injury patterns. A 2026 study of 276 dog-bite patients found that attacks identified as involving pit bulls were significantly more likely to require surgical intervention.
Research has found pit bull-type dogs and German shepherds frequently associated with serious bite injuries, though breed-specific statistics remain controversial. Classification challenges exist because mixed breeds are difficult to identify visually and researchers lack universally accepted population estimates for pit bull-type dogs in the United States.
DogsBite.org, which tracks severe attacks, reported that pit bulls were involved in roughly two-thirds of fatalities documented between 2005 and 2019, though this reflects the organization’s own classification methods rather than federal data.
What Happens Next
DeAngelis’ case will ultimately depend on whether the dog should have been allowed inside the store and whether Whole Foods had a legal duty to prevent the attack. Whole Foods had not publicly responded to the allegations when the lawsuit was first reported.
The suit comes as DeAngelis’ profile at Fox Business continues to grow. Recent reports indicate she could be considered for the time slot previously held by Maria Bartiromo.
