EXCLUSIVE: Bees living in utility box kill dog, sting homeowner

HARRIS COUNTY (KTRK) -- A swarm of bees killed a woman's dog, injured another and also stung her.

Joan Cassata could only show Eyewitness News her dog, Mandy, in pictures. She was a sweet Pomeranian who died a painful death.

"I couldn't imagine what she went through," said Cassata.

Thursday night, Cassata's dogs were in the backyard of the home near Tomball where she lives with husband. Concerned about the dogs' silence, Cassata went back there to find a swarm of bees.

"The bees were all over the place. I was just, I was just running," Cassata, a grandmother, said.

Mandy was stung multiple times and didn't survive. Snowy, another Pomeranian, was also stung. Cassata was stung, too. She doesn't think Snowy would make it and, now, she wants something done.

"I have four granddaughters. There's no way I'll let them back there. You shouldn't have to be in your backyard and wonder if your pets or your children are going to be safe," Cassata said.

The bees are living inside a Centerpoint Energy utility box in the neighbor's yard. They weren't a problem until the Cassatas took their fence down this week to replace it. Centerpoint tells Eyewitness News the bees should be removed this weekend.

Cassata hopes they'll keep their word. Losing Mandy has been hard.

"Our pets are our children."