Ashley Jo Bishop and Dr. Justin Avery Bishop is an American couple who made the headlines in December 2021 after their two dogs viciously mauled Jacqueline Durand, a college student that they had hired to dogsit for them.
The Bishops initially contacted Durand, who had a dog sitting business, to dogsit for them while they were away during the Christmas holidays. The couple knew their dogs were crazy but assured Durand that they would be crated on the day she would come over. This turned out not to be the case, and the dogs pounced on Durand once she got into the house.
They bit her 800 times and left her with vicious injuries to her face. The young lady survived but was left permanently and catastrophically disfigured. She slammed the Bishops with a personal injury lawsuit demanding more than a million dollars in compensation.
Ashley Jo Bishop and Dr Justin Avery Bishop are Residents of Coppell, Texas
The couple, Ashley Jo Bishop and Dr Justin Avery Bishop, are American citizens of Caucasian ethnicity. Ashley Jo Bishop was born in 1982, while her husband, Dr. Justin Avery Bishop, was born in 1980. The couple is longtime residents of the town of Coppell, Texas, and own a sumptuous home in a nice suburb.
It is unknown when the couple tied the knot, but they have been married for several years. They also reportedly have children. According to Twitter comments, Ashley Jo and Dr. Justin Avery Bishop have kids, and their parental abilities have been questioned in view of the whole dog mauling incident.
Speaking of dogs, Ashley Jo Bishop and Dr. Justin Avery Bishop previously had three dogs. These include a German shepherd mixed breed named Lucy and a pit bull mix named Bender. The couple’s dogs have violent tendencies, and as such, they put up a notice on their door urging people to beware of mad dogs.
They warned potential visitors not to knock on their door or ring the doorbell as this could set the dogs off.
Justin Avery Bishop is a Medical Doctor While His Wife’s Occupation Remains a Mystery
Ashley Jo Bishop’s occupation remains a mystery. She could be an entrepreneur or corporate employee. She could also be a homemaker. On the other hand, Dr. Justin Avery Bishop is an accomplished medical doctor who specializes in the surgical pathology diagnosis of head, neck, and endocrine diseases.
He has published about 175 journal articles and 19 books. Dr. Justin Avery Bishop obtained his medical degree from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in 2016. He also holds an MBA in health organization management, an MSC in marine biology, and a BSc in zoology.
Ashley Jo Bishop and Justin Avery Bishop Hired College Student Jacqueline Durand to Dogsit for Them in December 2021
In mid-December 2021, Ashley Jo Bishop and Justin Avery Bishop began looking for a dog sitter to take care of their dogs while they were away on holiday. They made some enquires and were eventually put in touch with Jacqueline Durand, a student at the University of Texas. Durand was a big lover of dogs and had set up a successful dogsitting business.
The Bishops asked Durand to dogsit for them while they were away on holiday, and she agreed. They later arranged a day for her to meet the dogs, and this went off without a hitch. Following this meeting, the couple informed her of their travel plans, and they set the date that she would come over.
Their Two Dogs Viciously Attacked Jacqueline Durand and Bit Her about 800 Times
On the 23rd day of December 2021, Jacqueline Durand set off for the home of the Bishops to dogsit their canines. The agreement with the couple was that the dogs would be crated but shortly before she reached the couple’s residence, they texted her that they had forgotten to crate the dogs. They, however, failed to give her any extra warning to be careful.
As a result, Jacqueline Durand proceeded to the Bishops’ home without fear. On getting there, she opened the door, only for the dogs to pounce on her. What followed was several minutes of vicious attacks during which the two dogs bit her over 800 times. They tore her entire clothes off her body and bit off her two ears, nose, and lips. Most of her face below her eyes was also attacked.
Jacqueline Durand Survived the Attack but Required Extensive Surgeries and Hospitalization
The vicious attack was the stuff of nightmares and Jacqueline Durand, who was awake through it all, thought she would die for sure. She was, however, saved after a neighbor of the Bishops contacted emergency services. The cops were able to get the dogs off her, and they immediately got her needed medical attention. She was put in an induced coma for some days but was subsequently resuscitated.
Jacqueline Durand spent about two months in the hospital, during which she underwent more than a dozen reconstructive surgeries to repair much of her face. She had to relearn how to talk, chew and move her jaw. She also had to relearn how to walk after weeks of lying on the bed. It was an arduous experience, but Durand had the love and support of her family, including her parents and sister.
This gave her the strength to move on, and by January 2022, the young lady took to her Facebook page to thank people for their support. By February 2022, she was discharged from the hospital, and the first responders welcomed her home. They described her as a “beautiful warrior” and “an inspiration” and stated that they were so grateful that she was back home.
Jacqueline Durand Documented Her Recovery on Social Media and Plans to be a Motivational Speaker
The dog attack left Jacqueline Durand with permanently and catastrophically disfiguring injuries, but she has refused to let that particular incident mark her entire life. The college student is determined to live life on her terms and has shared her survival story with people on Tik Tok and YouTube.
She has also shown her reconstructed face to members of the public. Durand is determined to finish her degree in supply chain logistics at the University of Texas. She then plans to travel the world and participate in paid speaking engagements where she would share her story with the whole world.
Durand has Slammed a $1 Million Lawsuit against Ashley Jo Bishop and Dr. Justin Avery Bishop
Ashley Jo Bishop and Dr. Justin Avery Bishop did not face any criminal charges for their dogs’ attack on Jacqueline Durand. Durand, however, slammed a million-dollar personal injury lawsuit against them in January 2022. She alleged that the couple knew that their dogs were crazy and, as such, should have taken reasonable steps to protect unsuspecting persons from the dogs.
She also accused the couple of negligence and asked for compensation of more than a million dollars. The lawsuit remains ongoing, and only time will tell the outcome. However, the two dogs that attacked Durand have been marked for euthanization.
