STLPR0%
Steve Ewing's beloved family pet killed in Tower Grove Park dog attack 28%
By Lacretia Wimbley0% Kate Grumke52%
6/4/2026, 7:37:27 PM
BS Summary: This article contains 21 faulty reasoning types, including Negativity Bias, Indoctrination, and Availability Heuristic, with Appeal to Authority as the most egregious example at 11.8% saturation with 93 hits. Analysis detected 800 faulty-reasoning hits from 785 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 38.9% and a BS Rank of 28% (15,338 of 21,182 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 72.40% of the article peer group.
Steve Ewing, a St.
Louis musician and owner of Steve’s Hot Dogs, said his wife and family dog were attacked Tuesday evening by two pit bulls in Tower Grove Park.
Their pet died of its injuries.
The city has received hundreds of complaints about dangerous animals in recent years.
Ewing said his wife, Beth, was walking their Maltipoo, Emmi, in the park when two pit bulls broke free from their owners and charged at Emmi.
Beth suffered mild injuries while trying to protect Emmi, and a passerby who stopped to help was also mildly injured, Ewing said.
Emmi was four years old, he added.
Ewing, who is also the lead singer of the St.
Louis band the Urge, said one dog was black and off leash, while the other was brown and weighed about 100 pounds.
Ewing said the dog was “powerful enough to drag its owner.”
As the situation quickly unfolded, Ewing said that his wife called him and that he arrived within minutes from their home in Tower Grove South, a couple of blocks away.
When he arrived, Ewing said, Emmi was already unresponsive due to injuries sustained in the attack and the women had already left the scene with their dogs.
“They didn't try to reconcile afterwards, like exchange information or anything.
They just left,” Ewing said.
“I picked my wife and the dog up, and then we went to the vet after that.
If you can't control your dog, you shouldn't have the dog out amongst other people and children.”
The two women handling the dogs were about 5 feet 2 inches tall, Ewing said.
Ewing has lived in Tower Grove South for 11 years and said this was the first fatal dog attack he knows of in Tower Grove.
Bill Reininger, executive director at Tower Grove Park, said in a statement Thursday that park leaders were saddened by the attack.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family for the loss of their dog and wish a full recovery to the visitor injured during the incident,” Reininger said.
Reininger said city law requires all dogs must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet at all times when in public parks.
He said they’re committed to safety, noting that rangers actively patrol the park to ensure rules are being followed.
Rising animal complaints
City data shows hundreds of dangerous animal complaints have been filed in recent years.
The city recorded 423 complaints in 2024 and 420 complaints in 2025.
A majority of the 188 cases reported this year as of Thursday have come from Wards 11, 12, and 13.
Ward 6, which is where Tower Grove is located, had the fewest reports of dangerous animals across the city last year, according to an STLPR analysis based on data from the Citizens' Service Bureau.
However, the ward has already recorded nine dangerous animal reports this year, surpassing last year’s total.
The rate of complaints about animal bites are even higher, according to the St.
Louis Department of Health’s Animal Care and Control Division.
In 2023, the division reports there were 488 calls about animal bites; in 2024 there were 559 calls; in 2025 there were 657; and as of May, there have been 389 calls so far this year.
“Often, animal control is dispatched to find that the reported animal is simply an unknown stray that hasn't been seen in the neighborhood before, or perhaps not even a dog,” Health Department spokeswoman Erin Ford said in an emailed statement.
“This self-reporting sometimes skews our data.”
Ford said they received the Ewings’ complaint Thursday morning and that an investigation is underway.
She urged people to contact police if they witness or experience a harmful incident involving dogs.
City residents have been increasingly sharing their encounters with dangerous animals and dog attacks on Reddit and other social media platforms.
Ewing posted a message to his Facebook page Thursday seeking help from anyone with information about the two pit bull owners.
“We are extremely concerned that these dogs could attack another pet or person,” Ewing said.
“If you witnessed this incident, recognize the dogs or owners, or have any information that could help identify them, please send me a private message.”
And for the owners of the animals that attacked his family’s beloved Emmi, Ewing has a message.
“I want them to know that we have a dead dog, they killed a dog, so they should definitely come forth,” Ewing said.
“That would be the right thing to do.”
Tower Grove Park officials urge anyone who witnesses leash law violations or other safety concerns to contact Park Rangers at 314-771-4042.
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