Neighbors in Burlington, Vermont, have filed multiple complaints and police reports concerning Deputy State's Attorney Diane Wheeler and her dog, Moose, alleging the animal has been involved in at least seven incidents over three years, including biting four adults and knocking over a child.
One of the most severe alleged encounters occurred in April when defense attorney Betsy Hibbits reported that Moose bit her lip while she was greeting the dog outside Wheeler's car after court. Hibbits told police her lip was "hanging off" and she required stitches and a consultation with a plastic surgeon. Wheeler, 65, was issued a $125 "vicious dog" ticket for the incident, and Hibbits plans to pursue legal action.
Wheeler has contested the accusations, stating that Moose did not bite Hibbits but rather reacted to someone "invading his space." She described Moose, a 65-pound brindle mix, as a "trauma dog" who was previously abused and injured by another dog before she adopted him approximately three years ago. Wheeler stated that Moose has only bitten one person since she took him in.
According to reports reviewed by The Boston Globe, Moose was involved in other incidents in 2023. He allegedly attacked two other dogs, injuring them, and bit dog owner David Kirk, causing bleeding. In June 2023, Wheeler received another ticket after Moose allegedly jumped on a child. Later that year, in September, Moose reportedly broke free from his leash while being walked by Wheeler's mother, Carol Wheeler, 84, in a local park. He then allegedly attacked a leashed dog, and when its owner, CJ Woods, intervened, Moose inflicted multiple puncture wounds on Woods' right hand.
Woods reported that Carol Wheeler walked away from the scene and told him to "stop harassing her" when he attempted to get her contact information. The incident led to Wheeler being ticketed and a subsequent court order for Moose to be impounded pending investigation. Wheeler initially resisted the order, but a state judge threatened her with contempt charges if she did not comply. Moose was taken from the home by police that night.
More than half of the reported incidents occurred after the city's animal control commission designated Moose a "vicious dog" in March 2024 and ordered him removed from Wheeler's residence. Wheeler expressed displeasure with the judge's decision, calling it "rude."
The Franklin County State's Attorney's Office has reportedly banned Moose from its building after Wheeler repeatedly brought the dog there. Former colleague Juliet Dowling, also a deputy state's attorney, expressed concern about Wheeler's alleged disregard for consequences and the law, stating, "The rules don't apply to Diane. She knows there are no consequences."
Wheeler also suggested that Llu Mulvaney-Stanak, one of the neighbors who filed complaints, was motivated by political reasons, citing Mulvaney-Stanak's twin sister, Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak. Llu Mulvaney-Stanak, a DJ for Vermont Public Radio, refuted this, calling Wheeler's comment an attempt to deflect from her "dangerous dog" and the lack of accountability. She also stated that there had been no special treatment from the city or the mayor's office.
