Woman charged in dog attack now accused of threatening city employees with AK-47

AUSTIN, Texas - A woman charged after her dogs aggressively attacked a woman on a Southwest Austin sidewalk in March has now been accused of threatening to shoot Austin Animal Shelter employees with an AK-47.

56-year-old Panvrla White has been charged with third-degree felony terroristic threat interrupting a public place. 

Court paperwork says this charge is related to her previous felony charge from April and shows "escalating behavior" from White.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Woman's dogs aggressively attack woman on Southwest Austin sidewalk: affidavit

What they're saying:

Court paperwork says the investigation into the dog attack in March resulted in the dogs being seized and then euthanized per court orders.

Since then, White has allegedly become increasingly hostile towards Austin Animal Services personnel, police officers, witnesses and shelter staff involved in the case.

"Escalating behavior"

She was issued a criminal trespass notice from Austin Animal Shelter due to threatening comments towards staff, which she later violated and was arrested for on April 24. During this arrest, officers found methamphetamine concealed in her bra, says court paperwork.

She bonded out on $3,000 with an order to stay away from the shelter and not possess any pets.

She also allegedly assaulted a witness on May 3, accusing him of lying about her dogs in court. She confronted him at an HEB, punched him in the face and threatened him. A vehicle matching White's was also seen by witnesses fleeing after a rock was thrown through a window at the witness's home.

White also allegedly harassed and threatened an Austin Animal Services investigator by email, text, phone calls and voicemails for weeks, saying she would go to the investigator's home and workplace. 

Court paperwork says White said words to the effect of "by the end of the day there will be no more of you," "you will know what serious bodily injury really is," and "May God have mercy on your soul because I won't."

Terroristic threat charge

The terroristic threat charge stems from an emergency call transferred to APD on May 7 from the Veteran's Crisis Line. The line operator told police White said she had an AK-47 and planned to kill shelter personnel, officers and others involved in taking her dogs.

The line operator says she appeared angry over the seizure and euthanasia of her dogs and specifically threatened an Austin Animal Services investigator by name, the same one she had allegedly been harassing and threatening before.

Austin police responded by notifying AAS administration and adding directed patrols. Shelter employees also received security escorts and volunteers were barred from late-evening activities.

The court paperwork also details the fear and disruption White's threats caused shelter employees, with employees reporting changing routines, carrying weapons for protection, increasing home security and other measures.

What's next:

White was booked into the Travis County Jail on Friday, May 8, on three charges: 

• 1 count of third-degree felony obstruction or retaliation
• 1 count of third-degree felony terroristic threat impeding public servants
• 1 count of terroristic threat causing fear of imminent danger, a Class B misdemeanor

Bond has been set at $5,000 for each charge, and she is still in jail as of Monday morning.

She has a court date set for May 13 on the criminal trespass charge from April 24.

White's previous charge

The backstory:

White was charged in April with third-degree felony attack by dog resulting in serious bodily injury in connection with a March 28 incident.

Her dogs, a pair of two-year-old Cane Corsos, attacked a woman walking in her Southwest Austin neighborhood that afternoon. 

The dogs had been contained in her vehicle, but got out when their other owner opened his passenger door. The dogs then immediately ran towards the woman walking on the sidewalk and began attacking and biting her.

The woman was hospitalized and doctors told police she suffered "a significant injury to her right arm" and that "the skin is likely going to demarcate and die," meaning she would need plastic surgery. The injury would also limit her ability to function with her right hand.

The victim described the event as "like a movie" and that "she genuinely believed she might not survive the attack."

White posted a $10,000 bond on the dog attack charge and was ordered not to possess any pets and be under mental health supervision.

White's previous history with law enforcement

Dig deeper:

White has a criminal history in Travis County going back to 2004, according to court records.

She has two active misdemeanor charges for harassment and violating a bond/protective order from 2025 and has been indicted for state-jail felony criminal mischief and burglary of a building.

She has also been convicted on a felony fraud charge in 2019, property theft in 2012, and credit card abuse in 2007.

Crime and Public SafetyAustin