Oscar-Winning Composer Burt Bacharach Sued Over Dog Bite

Dog sitter Joel Gaynor claims Bacharach’s dog bit off two of his fingers

Burt Bacharach
Getty Images

Burt Bacharach is being sued by his dog sitter, who claims the Academy Award-winning composer’s dog bit off two of his fingers.

Joel Gaynor, a 73-year-old resident of Los Angeles, filed a lawsuit against Bacharach on Tuesday, claiming the composer’s Portuguese Water Dog, Alfie, “mauled” his left hand while he was pet-sitting for Bacharach.

The alleged attack took place last July, and came after Gaynor “saw that the dog was scratching, restless, gasping for air, choking, urinating, losing control of its bowels, and that the dog’s eyes were rolling back into its head,” according to the complaint. “Gaynor immediately pressed on the dog’s chest to help dislodge the item that the dog was choking on, and Gaynor also massaged the dog’s esophagus and up the windpipe toward the dog’s mouth.”

The complaint claims the dog was choking on a plastic bone, and Gaynor’s quick action saved his life. But despite having “appeared to have returned to a good and positive state of mind,” the dog bit Gaynor when he came to check on it after the incident.

“The dog snapped at Gaynor and mauled his left hand, as well as injuring his right forearm,” the complaint says. “At no time did Gaynor volitionally place his hand in the dog’s mouth.”

Gaynor’s middle finger had to be reattached, and doctor’s used a skin graft from his “groin area” to reassemble the index finger on his left hand. The complaint says there are multiple “dead zones” on the fingers, where Gaynor has no feeling.

Gaynor’s lawyers claim Bacharach and his family were aware that Alfie was “a danger” and took no steps to prevent the incident from occurring, and after the bite claimed no responsibility. He is suing for unspecified damages.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

Comments