HomeCommunityCouple Identified in Canova Beach Dog Attack; Multiple Citations Issued

Couple Identified in Canova Beach Dog Attack; Multiple Citations Issued

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Brevard County Animal Control has identified the couple involved in a July 26, 2025, dog attack at Canova Beach Park that left a woman and her dog with multiple injuries.

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The incident occurred when Alisha Stewart, walking her leashed and body-harnessed Dogo Argentino along the beach, encountered two unleashed Great Danes, Axel and Zion, with their owners, later identified as Rachael and Brad Pitzer. Stewart posted a video to her social media immediately following the incident which showed the couple and their dogs as well as some of the injuries she sustained with visible active bleeding. You can watch that video below.

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Conflicting Accounts of the Incident

Stewart says one of the Great Danes approached her and her dog, got close to her dog’s face, and started an altercation. According to her, the Great Dane attacked her dog repeatedly and bit her multiple times on the hand and face. She claims she yelled for the owner to control his dog, but he did not immediately intervene. She says, “The guy claimed that his leash was his E collar, but clearly it wasn’t working…” When he finally restrained the animal, Stewart says he blamed her for the confrontation. She alleges she was bleeding heavily, treated herself and her dog, and called the police. She was treated at the beach by an ambulance for her injuries.

Brad Pitzer offered a different version when contacted by The Space Coast Rocket. He said Stewart’s dog approached them from behind without warning and lunged toward their Great Dane, pulling Stewart over in the process. Pitzer stated the encounter startled everyone and lasted about 30 seconds. He said Stewart never indicated she was injured at the time and suggested her wounds could have been from a fall or from placing her hand between the dogs “establishing alpha.”

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Rachael Pitzer straddling one of her dogs after the attack.
Message we received from Brad Pitzer regarding the incident.

Pitzer emphasized that his objective was to de-escalate. He also requested that photos of him and his dogs be removed from social media, saying the ordeal had left him and his wife feeling unsafe.

Citations Issued

Following the investigation, Brevard County Animal Enforcement issued Rachael Pitzer three citations:

  • Attack Causing Injury (14-58) — $220 fine
  • Failure to Properly Secure Animal – Axel (14-55) — $55 fine
  • Failure to Properly Secure Animal – Zion (14-55) — $55 fine

The official citations state that both dogs were not properly secured and that Axel bit and injured Stewart.

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