CommentsANIMAL WATCH - Adding to the increasing reports of worldwide tragedy of Pit Bull attacks from deaths to worrisome, repeated assaults, Rapper Flávio Cesar Costa de Castro—known as Orochi—is the latest celebrity to be accused of mishandling and mistreating his three Pit Bulls.
On June 29 multiple media outlets in Brazil stated that the dogs had reportedly escaped from the rapper’s luxury condominium and attacked popular Brazilian actor Cauã Reymond and his family in an affluent area of Rio de Janiero.
Reports blasted from media sources of an investigation launched by the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police Department after the latest in a string of reported attacks by Orochi’s dogs—this one occurring while Reymond and his wife, model Marianna Goldfarb, and his ten-year-old daughter, Sofa, were walking with their two Labrador Retrievers on the street outside their luxury condominium complex in Joá, where Orochi also lives.
PIT BULLS AT OROCHI’S CONDO HAVE REPORTED HISTORY OF AGGRESSION
This was not the first time the same Pit Bulls had been allowed to escape from Orochi’s unit. According to neighbors reports, Orochi’s Pit Bulls have run out of the open door of his unit without collars or muzzles, and the dogs have a history of violent attacks, having “already torn apart other dogs and injured residents, including an elderly woman with dementia,” prior to the assault on the actor and his family.
At least four attacks by the same dogs have been reported in the last two years by both residents and neighbors in the surrounding area and employees of the building, media reports state, with complaints filed with local authorities that the three Pit Bulls are allowed to roam free, endangering adults, children and the elderly, and their pets.
Orochi, has not responded to complaints and efforts to discuss the dangers with him, complainants say. Thus victims and concerned residents are appealing through a group—which appears to be similar to a homeowners’ association—that has filed for a court order for a ban on the dogs being used for “guarding” and also a seizure of the animals and potential placement with the Municipal Secretariat for the Protection and Defense of Animals (SMPDA), explained the group’s spokesperson.
EARLIER ATTACKS BY OROCHI’S PIT BULLS
Witnesses state in court documents that the first attack occurred on October 5, 2020, when a resident was walking two Labradors on a leash and was attacked viciously by the Pit Bulls at Orochi’s address, suffering serious injuries as he attempted to fight them off and protect his dogs.
He claims that, “Finally, five men came out of the house of Orochi.” According to the victim, the rapper stated that it “took a long time to collect them [the dogs] because he was busy ‘recording his record’.”
The victim claimed that a veterinarian treated the smaller dog for ten bites, and, as a precaution, he was given rabies and tetanus shots.
Then, on March 17, 2021, a doctor claims he was walking with his 9-year-old dog and a companion when a Pit Bull ran out of Orochi’s door and attacked his dog’s neck. When he tried to break up the fight, he sustained injuries to his arms, hips, buttocks, feet and hand, he states. Although he also went to the police, he said that the singer has not yet responded.
Another alleged attack occurred on the morning of February 10, 2022, when an employee of a nearby business reported that he fell when he was attacked by the pit bulls in front of Orochi’s condominium while walking his two dogs.
There were no details provided of an alleged attack on an elderly woman with dementia.
ATTACK ON ACTOR
The latest attack on Cauã Reymond and his family reportedly occurred when the door to Orochi’s residence was left open and the dogs ran out. Reymond is quoted in media reports, stating that “one of his dogs fought off the Pit Bulls to protect the family.” (State law requires that when in public, Pit Bulls must wear a muzzle, according to the report.)
A complaint was filed on behalf of the victims, which is currently being reviewed by the 5th Criminal Court of the Court of Justice of Rio. Orochi has not yet responded, the report states.
WIFE OF ACTOR CAUÃ REYMOND SPEAKS OUT
Model Mariana Goldfarb posted on her social networks about the Pit Bull attack on their family in the condominium complex where they live, and the investigation by the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro accusing Orochi of animal cruelty and failure to control the dogs for the protection of life or health of others, reported O’Globo.
Mariana said on the video post, “It’s not the pitbulls’ fault, it was protecting its house. … It’s the fault of whoever left the door open. That’s the person responsible for the dogs.”
She closed the message by saying she was “angry” at the situation and urged dog owners to take more responsibility, and stating, “Fortunately we were with Romeo [our family dog] because … Romeo defended the whole family, according to the report.
“And, yes, I was very angry, because they hurt my dog. Very angry, and I’m still very angry. And if we hadn’t had Romeo there, who knows what could have happened. So guys, be more responsible, okay? Because nobody’s life here is for gambling like that, no.” (translated here in media report.)
However, the singer denies owning the dogs, reports state.
OROCHI’S TEAM SPEAKS OUT – Reply from Orochi
After O’Globo reported the incident, an announcement was made that “Orochi’s press office stated the rapper and the actor spoke after the incident, and ‘the situation with them is resolved,’ said the singer’s team.”
Cauã Reymond’s advisor reportedly confirmed this, stating, “The rapper contacted Cauã Reymond via message and everything was resolved between the two. Cauã is even a great admirer of Orochi’s work,” the actor’s team concluded.
THIS DOES NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE FOR OTHERS
The settlement between Orochi and Reymond does not, however, resolve the accusations by others that the Pit Bulls repeatedly have been reported to belong to the rapper and are accused of attacking other dogs and neighbors in the luxury condominium complex.
“The musician is under investigation by the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police for the crimes of abusing animals, failing to exercise caution when keeping or driving animals, and endangering the life or health of others,” according to O’Globo.
Orochi reportedly responded, “The alleged facts are contradictory and will be duly investigated in the judiciary. The dogs are not my property, as in all the alleged episodes of dog escapes I did not have any action or omission that allowed the dogs to escape. still unexplained intention to attribute to me, perhaps the only young black owner of a property in Joá.” The latest report is that Orochi did contact Cauã Reymond and they reached a settlement/agreement that apparently was satisfactory to both.
CITATIONS FOR PIT BULLS ISSUED
A survey by EXTRA of the Civil Police records shows that the state of Rio recorded, in the last 12 months, 41 crimes involving pitbull dogs without a collar or muzzle- which represents one crime every eight days. Among the occurrences are threats, bodily harm, mistreatment and even omission of caution in guarding or driving animals and danger to life or health.
(See here.)
PIT BULLS IN BRAZIL
Much of Brazil does not have the media coverage that would assure attacks by Pit Bulls (or other dangerous dogs) are reported, but on March 4, 2021, The Sun provided a very disturbing depiction (with photos) of a man killed by seven Pit Bulls. Reddit also shows a graphic photo of the victim as he was being transported to a hospital where he reportedly later died as a result of the attack. (Warning: these photos are very graphic.)
In 2005, after 19,000 attacks had been reported, a new law was passed for Rio de Janeiro that has not been rescinded. It is described in “Dogs banned from Brazilian streets,” as follows:
The state government in Rio has banned aggressive breeds of dogs from the streets during the day and ordered that they be muzzled when being walked, moves aimed at curbing what officials say are a staggering amount of dog attacks in the city.
A new law that went into effect Wednesday says that aggressive breeds such as pit bulls, Rottweilers, Dobermans and Brazilian Filas will only be allowed on the streets of Rio de Janeiro state only between 10.00 pm and 5.00 am.
Violators can be fined up to 8,024 reals ($A4,565) and the dog will be placed in an animal shelter indefinitely.
About 19,000 people are victims of dog attacks every year in Rio. The pit bull bites cause most of the damage, state assemblyman Carlos Minc, the bill's sponsor, told reporters.
(Phyllis M. Daugherty is a contributor to CityWatch and a former Los Angeles City employee.)