Animal lover, 57, mauled to death at home by stray Rottweiler he had adopted just hours earlier

An animal lover has been mauled to death by a dog he adopted just hours earlier. Father-of-two Anthony Riggs was killed in his Jackson, Tennessee, home last week by a five-year-old Rottweiler he had brought home from a pound the same day.

The 57 year old left the Jackson-Madison County Rabies Control at 10am on Thursday morning and took the male dog, a stray who had been rescued from the streets, to show his son Thomas, 23.

According to the Jackson Sun, they made plans for the holiday, hugged each other and said they loved one another before parting ways.

Riggs's wife Kathy Riggs said she tried to call him from work at 1pm, but didn't get an answer.

She arrived at their home at 3:30pm and found him dead on the floor.

The dog then bit her and a co-worker Teresa Sanchez before it ran out of the house.

Sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene and shot the animal dead.

Sanchez wrote on Facebook: 'He wasn't growling or showing teeth - he just bit us like he did it all the time or something.

'It was unreal what that dog did and he should NEVER have been adopted out period.'

Adrienne Riggs, the victim's ex-wife, told the Sun: 'He never hesitated to be with dogs. Sometimes I thought he related to dogs better than to people.

'Tony was a good man and a loving man and a good person with animals and he didn't deserve to die the way that he did.'

Tom Mapes, spokesman for the Madison County Sheriff's Office, said they were investigating Mr Riggs's death, but would not be releasing any more details.

Lynn Caldwell of the Jackson-Madison County Humane Society told the Sun her organization has a 14-day quarantine policy, during which animals are observed for aggression.

They said they do not let aggressive dogs be adopted.

However, Kim Tedford, director of the county's Regional Health Department, told KHOU Mr Riggs took the dog home only five days after it had been taken in.

She said they will now perform an autopsy on the dog to check for any recent signs of abuse or rabies.

'It was a stray running at large, so we have no idea if the dog had been vaccinated or not,' she added.

'We by no means would adopt an animal out that showed any signs of aggression.'

She hopes that it won't deter people from adopting.

'We've never had this happen before through our Rabies Control office,' she said. 'We certainly hope it's something that never happens again. Our prayers and thoughts certainly go out to the family.'

Adrienne Riggs told KHOU she and her son Thomas went to speak to Rabies Control employees after Anthony Riggs' death.

'I don't believe what they said,' she said. 'I just don't. A docile dog does not turn in three hours and kill somebody. Something was wrong.

'They don't assess the dogs, they don't vet them, they don't evaluate them, they just adopt them out.

'You just can't put a dog that may be dangerous out with an unsuspecting family. That's just wrong.'

Under Tennessee law, a dog picked up on the street or given up by its owner must be held for at least three days.