EASTHAM — The select board decided on June 8 that Thor, a three-year-old Leonberger that belongs to Virginia Voros, is not a “dangerous” dog. Instead, the board labeled him a “nuisance.”
The label would not prevent Thor from going to doggie day care, said board member Jerry Cerasale. But the board ordered that the dog be neutered, undergo behavioral training, and remain muzzled and restrained whenever he leaves his owner’s home on Milbrode Avenue.
The conclusion the select board reached during its hearing on the case was not the one sought by Sandra Balfe, who told the board that she and her dog, Radar, a male yellow lab that has not been neutered, had been “brutally hunted” by Thor ever since they moved to Eastham in December 2024.
Balfe, who lives across the street from Voros, said she had installed extra fencing and cameras in her yard because she felt unsafe around Thor.
“This torture will continue until Thor kills Radar, and that will be over my dead body,” Balfe said. She asked that Thor be deemed dangerous and removed from Eastham.
Balfe’s characterization of Thor didn’t match the way some Eastham residents described the dog at the hearing. Gretchen Hosford-Bondi, who also lives on Milbrode, told the board that Thor is a “gentle giant” who gets along well with her bull mastiff, toy fox terrier, and chihuahua. Two other dog owners, Susan Stoesser and Lisa Radke, agreed with Hosford-Bondi’s assessment. Stoesser said she had “never seen an inkling of aggression” from Thor.
The board took those descriptions into account. “We know from a lot of the witnesses here that Thor is basically a calm, large, lovable dog in instances where many people have been there,” Cerasale said. “This is a dog that doesn’t seem to attack other animals.”
But, he continued, “you can’t dismiss this case, because the evidence shows an attack occurred.”
Two Incidents
Eastham’s animal control officer has records of two incidents involving Thor. The first was on Nov. 14, 2024, when Thor charged at Balfe and her sister, Linda Black, as they walked Radar near Balfe’s home.
Black said Thor was off leash at the time. “There was nobody around,” she said. “He’s huge, and the people cannot control him. They don’t even seem to want to.”
The other incident took place on the afternoon of May 11 when Thor broke away from his owners and chased Balfe and Radar into their yard as they returned home from a walk. Balfe described Thor breaking through a fence and knocking her to the ground. Balfe said that Thor then grabbed Radar and began a “death shake.”
Voros told the board she had been taking Thor out on a leash when Balfe saw the dog and screamed. Thor then broke away and attacked Radar. Voros said she tried to separate the two dogs but got knocked to the ground and that Balfe then began to kick her.
Maureen Voke, who lives nearby, told the board she heard Balfe screaming for help and came running with a can of bear spray. When she arrived on the scene, Voke said, she saw Thor, Radar, and Balfe in a “scrum” on the ground. She sprayed the three of them. Voke said that Thor kept charging until she emptied her can of spray.
Voros said that she “stumbled home” with Thor after being hit by the bear spray; the deterrent typically contains capsaicin. “I felt like my face was melting off,” Voros said. She was found in her bedroom by Police Sgt. Ryan Daigle, who, along with Officer Stephen Brown responded to a 911 call placed by Voke.
Both Voros and Balfe were evaluated by Eastham Fire Dept. officers but declined medical attention, according to Sgt. Daigle’s report.
Daigle learned from Balfe that she had an active harassment protection order against Voros, and his report stated a violation should be filed in Orleans District Court, but he also wrote that Voros had been “trying to break up a dog fight that was serious enough where a third-party neighbor had to intervene.”
Out of Character
Voros describes Thor as a St. Bernard and German Shepherd mix, but veterinary records list him as a Leonberger. Voros told the board that Thor reacts “fine” to other dogs and doesn’t break away from her when Radar isn’t around. She said Thor has never attempted to escape from her back yard, which is enclosed by about four feet of chicken wire with a stockade fence on one side.
Thor’s behavior around Radar “seems so out of character for this dog,” said resident Jon Zeeland, who introduced himself as Thor’s godfather. “I consider Thor to be my best friend,” Zeeland said. “I’ve never seen a more extraordinary dog in my life.”
Zeeland said that Voros was recently treated for cancer and relies on Thor for emotional support. “He’s not Cujo,” Zeeland said, referring to the St. Bernard-turned-killer in Stephen King’s 1981 horror novel.
Not everyone in the audience was on Thor’s side. “I don’t doubt that Thor is a sweet dog at home,” said Karie Miller. “But we need to keep Sandra and her dog safe in her neighborhood where she lives.”
“I don’t doubt that these people love their dog desperately,” said Susan Keith. “But if someone screaming could cause a dog to run toward that screaming person and then attack that person’s dog, there’s an issue of safety.”
In the end, the three select board members present, chair Suzanne Bryan, clerk Hope Plavin, and Cerasale, all voted in favor of the recommendation of Animal Control Officer Emily Dykstra to declare Thor a “nuisance” and impose restrictions.
Of the “nuisance” designation, Bryan said, “We have previously felt constrained by the ‘dangerous’ designation, and this is slightly more limited in scope.”
