Dog Attack Marks Second Violation For Two Brewster Dogs

BREWSTER – For Raki and Remi, there’s no hope of reform and rehabilitation, at least in the eyes of the select board. The labradoodle dogs, declared a nuisance following an attack in 2023, have been branded nuisance dogs for life following a second attack in February.

On April 16, the select board met for a special meeting to vote on the conduct of the animals. Owner Parisis Filippatos requested the hearing in response to a letter from Town Administrator Peter Lombardi after the second attack, which was instigated by his dogs. The board voted unanimously that the settlement stemming from the first attack had been violated and Filippatos’ dogs will now be considered nuisance dogs for their lifetimes. 

According to Massachusetts state law, once a dog is deemed a nuisance dog, owners must take remedial action with emphasis on the particular nuisance action. With a lifetime branding, the next step for the dogs if another event was to occur would be a dangerous dog hearing. In the case of a dangerous dog, more stringent conditions are placed on the security and confinement of the animal. Some actions do result in euthinasia. By order of the state, those decisions are left up to the discretion of the select board based on the actions during the attack. 

Filippatos, a New York labor and employment lawyer, is best known for his work representing a former Fox News producer who sued the company for wrongful termination. He has a home off Red Top Road in Brewster and has now been involved in two documented cases of attacks initiated by his dogs. 

In June 2023, Raki and Remi, along with another dog who does not live in the Brewster area, attacked Tonia St. Germain in the Hay Conservation area. She received puncture wounds to her thighs while the dogs were running off leash and out of sight of Filippatos and his then partner, Britta Cleveland. 

At an Aug. 10, 2023 public hearing, the select board voted in favor of declaring the dogs nuisance dogs and issued an order of restraint, requiring the owners to keep the dogs leashed in public spaces, unless at a dog park where leashes are not allowed. Filippatos and Cleveland appealed the verdict, taking the case to Orleans District Court. 

Before the court date, Filippatos, Cleveland and the town of Brewster were able to settle with a signed agreement dated March 20, 2024. The terms specified that, following all conditions were met, the dogs would no longer be classified as nuisance dogs as of August 2025. Conditions included completion of a training program with emphasis on off-leash training and no other evidence of further incidents. 

On February 22, Raki and Remi were roaming beyond Filippatos’ property and attacked a neighbor’s dog who was leashed and on a walk at the time. The dog required veterinary care and suffered serious injuries. The attack was reported by veterinary staff in compliance with quarantine laws regarding the spread of rabies, and Raki and Remi were quarantined for 10 days. 

Because the event violated the original March 2024 settlement, Lombardi issued a letter stating that the nuisance dog order would remain in effect for the rest of the dogs’ lifetimes. Filippatos requested a public hearing. 

On April 16, Filippatos went before the select board and detailed a growing list of concerns regarding his neighbors and the safety of his property. While he did not dispute the events of the second dog attack, he did argue that vandalism to his newly installed fence was a formulated scheme to get his dogs in trouble. 

One of his neighbors accused his dogs of coming on her property and trying to get inside her chicken coop. 

After the initial attack, Filippatos installed a wire-mesh fence around his property, controlled by a manual gate. His neighbor argued that the fence was defective in some areas and was able to point out an area where the fence was not erect. Filippatos arranged to have the fence immediately repaired by his landscaper, who determined that it had been cut. 

Filippatos and select board members went back and forth regarding his additional detail. Mary Chaffee, Cindy Bingham and David Whitney all agreed that these additional elements were not related to the initial purpose of the meeting, which was for the board to vote on upholding the violation verdict sent in a letter from town officials. 

Filippatos argued that the alleged vandalism makes it hard for him to safely secure his dogs and may contribute to further incidents. In addition to the fence, he installed an invisible fence with security collars and an electronic gate. 

He also said this is not the first time there has been potential targeting of his property. During the 2024 election, Filippatos had Kamala Harris endorsement signs on his front lawn, which he says were stolen and removed from his property. Although he reported the fence slashing to the Brewster police, he did not report the signage theft. 

The board unanimously voted that the February attack was a violation of the original settlement and declared the dogs nuisance dogs for the remainder of their lifetimes.