Jackie DeAngelis, a 46-year-old co-host of Fox Business Network’s “The Big Money Show,” sued Whole Foods in Manhattan Supreme Court in August 2026, alleging the grocery chain failed to prevent a pit bull from attacking her inside its Columbus Circle location in September 2023.
DeAngelis claims she sustained serious hand injuries requiring surgery during the incident, with lasting effects including scarring, reduced mobility, and diminished ability to perform everyday tasks. The dog and its owner left the store before law enforcement arrived at the scene.
What Happened
The incident occurred during regular shopping hours at Whole Foods’ Manhattan location on September 2023. DeAngelis was bitten on the hand by a black pit bull that she contends was not a legitimate service animal authorized under federal law.
Her legal complaint, filed August 20 in state court, describes her resulting injuries as “permanent and continuing.” She is seeking unspecified damages covering medical expenses, emotional distress, and other losses tied to the attack.
Whole Foods maintains a blanket prohibition on pets inside its stores, with the exception of service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under federal law, a service dog must be individually trained to perform specific work or tasks related to a person’s disability, distinguishing them from emotional support animals that provide companionship alone.
DeAngelis’ complaint centers on the allegation that Whole Foods failed to reasonably enforce its own animal policies and did not exercise adequate care in regulating which animals were permitted on the premises. She argues the dog should never have been inside the store in the first place.
The Reaction
Whole Foods had not issued a public statement addressing the allegations at the time the lawsuit was filed. The company typically declines comment on active litigation.
The case raises questions about how retailers implement and monitor compliance with service animal policies. Businesses generally must allow legitimate service dogs when animals are otherwise prohibited, but may remove a service dog if it is out of control and its handler fails to take effective corrective action.
Service animal misidentification has become an area of concern for retailers and public spaces nationwide. Determining whether an animal qualifies under ADA guidelines can present practical challenges for staff, particularly when owners claim service status without official documentation or credentials.
What This Means
DeAngelis’ lawsuit will likely focus on whether Whole Foods had a legal obligation to prevent the attack and whether the dog should have been permitted inside the store. The outcome could influence how major retailers approach animal verification and enforcement of their policies.
The case also arrives as DeAngelis’ professional standing at Fox Business has risen. Recent reporting suggests she may be considered for high-profile time slots within the network’s schedule.
Broader research on dog bite injuries has found that attacks involving pit bull-type dogs are statistically more likely to require surgical intervention than some other breeds, though breed identification based on witness accounts remains inherently unreliable. Researchers note that mixed-breed classification challenges and the lack of precise population estimates for pit bull-type dogs complicate statistical analysis of breed-specific injury patterns.
The DeAngelis case ultimately turns on specific facts about what occurred at the Columbus Circle location and the store’s duty of care toward customers—a narrower question than the wider conversation about dog bite severity and breed characteristics.
