Montrose city officials were days from euthanizing an 86-pound pit bull mix over concerns about his aggressiveness before a rescue group facilitated the dog’s placement in a Gunnison foster home where he fatally attacked a 7-year-old boy weeks later, newly obtained records show.
Police have released little information about what was shared with the foster family about the dog’s history before it killed the foster’s son Leelan Lokie in his home the morning of Feb. 4. But emails between Montrose Animal Shelter technicians and city staff show mounting safety concerns over the dog, Boaz, and suggest time was running out for the tan-and-white pit bull terrier mix.
Stark warnings circulated among city staff even as the Montrose Bully Breed Club, a rescue group committed to saving the pit bull-type dogs, stepped up its efforts to place the dog in a new home, offering reassurances about its temperament and at times, pleading for safe harbor. At the time, nearly 200 pit bull breeds were awaiting adoption on the Western Slope alone, as the adoption demand lagged.
The messages include one undated text message from Montrose shelter technician Tomoko Vonseggern to another staff member: “He was like a monster today, wanting to attack every dog who passed by him in the inside kennel.
“Nobody I mean nobody will take that dog to their family,” he wrote.
Worries intensified in early January after Boaz lunged at another dog inside the Montrose Animal Shelter, where he was being held while waiting to be adopted. Vonseggern asked the Montrose Bully Breed Club, the rescue group that advocated for Boaz, on Jan. 7 to take the dog or he could be euthanized.
A volunteer at the shelter who was walking Boaz in December fractured her wrist after he pulled forward and her wrist got stuck in the kennel door, according to an incident report, obtained by The Colorado Sun through a records request.
In an email to a Western Slope humane society that ultimately declined to accept the dog, Vonseggern conveyed his fears.
“My worry is that an adoption could lead to unfortunate outcomes, such as him returning to us with a history of biting or having issues with other dogs or cats that could result in injury or even death,” Vonseggern wrote in an email to Second Chance Humane Society. “I truly want what’s best for him and hope to avoid any situation that could lead to further challenges. We already have 4 other Pit bulls with the same demeanor: dog aggressive.
“The longer they stay here, the worse they get.”
In a text message to another city staff member, he put it more bluntly: “It’s like we are waiting for an accident to happen to reason for euthanisia, and that’s not good, because some one or some dog may be injured or even dead.”He suggested in an email to the shelter’s staff that Boaz be evaluated, underscoring the importance of the public’s safety and taking steps to prevent “any potential incidents.” “While euthanizing animals is something none of us wishes to consider, we must ensure that we adopt out dogs who are well-suited for homes and do not pose a risk to others,” Vonseggern wrote.
Boaz, who also went by the name Jasper, was sheltered at the Montrose Animal Shelter prior to being placed in a Gunnison foster home. (Photo provided by Montrose Animal Services)Through an email, he told Jessica Golden, president of the Montrose Bully Breed Club, that Boaz had to be picked up “as soon as possible” and within the week.
“The more we keep him, the danger we expose our volunteers and staff members to,” he wrote.
Golden said the group’s vice president, a behaviorist, would continue posting on social media “based on her assessment and the reports” to find a home for Boaz.
“This has been so hard. Not having willing fosters is one of our biggest hurdles,” Golden wrote to Vonseggern.
“His example is useful for education on what is happening locally with these breeds,” she added.
Two days later, Tasha Todak, the club’s vice president, posted another public plea on its Facebook page for someone to take Boaz, a 3½-year-old dog who she said was experiencing stress from being inside a kennel.
“Boaz deserves someone that understands him and his needs. Someone that can nurture his confidence while providing exceptionally clear boundaries,” Todak wrote in a Jan. 9 post that has since been deleted. “This will be a long road for all involved, but he really does deserve it.”
“Unfortunately, this is the last call for Boaz, so if you think you’re up for the rehabilitation PLEASE reach out ASAP,” she wrote.
The same day, a woman named Kirsten “Kirky” Swift commented that she was interested in fostering the dog. Boaz left the shelter and was transferred to the Montrose Bully Breed Club on Jan. 9, according to a contract that released the shelter of liability from “any personal injuries” that arise in connection to the ownership of the animal.
The next day, Swift wrote that Boaz, “our newest foster baby,” was in her home, with her two sons and a 6-year-old female French bulldog.Less than a month later, both Leelan and Boaz were gone.
Shelter records trace parts of dog’s past
It’s not clear what information was relayed to Swift, who worked as a veterinary technician, before she brought Boaz home. Swift declined to comment through a family spokesperson. The Montrose Bully Breed Club also did not return requests from The Sun.
The Gunnison Police Department, which is investigating the attack, declined to comment citing the pending investigation.
According to a police report, a Gunnison police officer arrived at the home just after 7 a.m. and found Boaz with its jaws on the boy’s neck. The officer fired a single shot at the dog, causing it to release the boy.
Records tied to Boaz show an incomplete, and sometimes confusing history for the dog, including discrepancies in his birth date, which is listed as either in May or July 2022.
He was listed as a stray at the Riverdale Animal Shelter in Adams County in July 2023, where a handler described him as a “sweet and energetic fella” who “would love to join a family with mature children who can participate in his training.”
Four months later, in November 2023, the Montrose Bully Breed Club took ownership of the dog from Riverdale. A note accompanying the transfer said Boaz had “a minor bite incident” while in the shelter, which staff said was “situational.”
What happened next — whether the dog stayed in the care of the club or was placed in a foster home or homes — is unclear.
But documents show that in December 2025, the club surrendered ownership of the dog to the Montrose Animal Shelter, where he was microchipped, vaccinated and neutered, records show.
In turning the dog over to the shelter, Golden indicated that Boaz was playful, friendly with visitors and had moderate energy. He reportedly did well with kids but showed “resource guarding” with other dogs, meaning that he turned aggressive over food or toys, which resulted in injuries to other dogs. Boaz also had a “high prey drive with fixation” on cats, she wrote.
Boaz had regularly been around children ages 2 to 18 years old and he showed relaxed behavior with them, according to the form.
“So sweet, cuddlebug, loves people,” Golden wrote.
Boaz bit his previous owner after she threw a bone into a pack of dogs, which led to a fight, Golden wrote, adding that the owner was bitten after she stuck her hand in the dog’s throat to get the bone. “Not out of aggression.”
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