Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
A pack of dogs attacked a man walking his own pet on the morning of Friday, April 24, in Fort Lauderdale, forcing him to open fire on the animals, according to reporting from local media.
The man, who has not been named as of Monday, April 27, told police that the incident occurred on the 1100 block of Northeast Seventh Street around 9:30 a.m. He was walking with his dog on a leash when at least four other animals approached them and became “aggressive” toward them.
All four animals were hit and two of them died as a result of their injuries. The remaining two dogs were taken to a veterinary hospital. The man’s leashed dog was injured in the attack and was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment.
The owner of the four dogs who attacked the man and his pet may face fines and “arrest for various charges,” according to reporting from The Miami Herald.
Police identified the animals involved in this incident as larger breeds such as Pitbulls and mastiffs while the leashed dog was a smaller pit bull mix. There has been at least one prior incident involving these animals, officials confirmed to reporters.
The man who fired his weapon will not face charges as he was acting in self-defense, according to a preliminary investigation.
Leesfield & Partners
Over five decades of personal injury practice throughout Florida, Leesfield & Partners has built and maintained a reputation for unwavering dedication to its clients. From initial injury to understanding the long-lasting physical and emotional wounds that clients continue to suffer long after an accident, our attorneys are committed to securing the best possible outcome in every case. Leesfield & Partners has obtained record recoveries for clients, procuring verdicts and settlements that help our injured clients and their grieving families rebuild after tragedy.
In Florida, dog owners are strictly liable for injuries their dogs cause to other people. This means an owner can be held responsible even if the dog has never shown aggression or bitten anyone before.
Premises liability law also requires property owners to maintain their property in a reasonably safe condition for lawful visitors. This duty includes taking reasonable steps to protect invitees from dangerous conditions — such as pets — on the property. If a dog bites or injures a guest, then the property owner may be held liable. This is particularly true if they knew or should have known that the dog posed a risk.
If a pet escapes their owners yard and attacks someone off the property, then Florida law can still hold the owner responsible. It is the owner’s duty to properly secure their animal. Last July, the Pam Rock Act went into effect to increase safety and expand upon penalties for the owners of aggressive animals. It states that owners of dogs considered to be “dangerous” must microchip their animals, secure them and have at least $100,000 in liability insurance. This bill defines a dangerous dog as those subject to an investigation which have killed or bitten a person to a “certain severity.” This severity is defined as a score of five or higher on the Dunbar bite scale, a system designed to classify dog bite severities.
The scale ranges as follows:
- Level One — An animal is considered to be a level one if they exhibit aggressive behavior toward a person without skin contact.
- Level Two — A incident in which a dog’s teeth have made contact with a person’s skin, without causing puncture wounds
- Level Three — One to four shallow puncture wounds caused from a single bite. These wounds are not deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth
- Level Four — One to four deep puncture wounds caused from a single bite. At least one will be deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth to be considered a level four bite.
- Level Five — Multiple “Level Four” attacks
- Level Six — A bite resulting in the death of the person.
If an animal is under investigation, authorities will be able to confiscate the dog and humanely euthanize them, under certain conditions. If an owner does not give up their dog after a crime has been committed or does not come forward after the dog has caused a serious injury, there will be harsher penalties for the owner of the animal.
The Pam Rock Act was named for mail carrier Pamela Jane Rock, 61, who died in 2022 after she was mauled by five dogs while on the job. She was stranded on a dirt road in Putnam County when her mail van broke down. After calling for help, she began delivering mail on foot shortly before she was attacked. The animals in this case, who had a history of aggressive behavior, were later euthanized.
Florida Dog Bite Statistics
Last month, the media reported a string of South Florida animal attacks involving young children. These incidents highlight the importance of teaching children about animal safety in order to lower the risk of a potential attack. While dogs are looked on affectionately as domesticated animals, it is important to remember the damage that they can cause if they feel threatened.
In 2023 insurance claim data, Florida was recorded as the state with the second-highest for dog bite incidents in the U.S. behind California. The dog bite claims recorded for that year was 1,532 in Florida. Children, especially boys, between 1 and 9 years old are at the highest risk for dog bites. This is because younger children can misinterpret a dog’s body language and engage in behavior such as hugging, petting them while they are eating, or other unwanted touching that results in an animal snapping or can provoke a bite. The gender gap in attacks has previously been attributed to behavioral differences and researchers have suggested that boys engage in more risk-taking or misreading of dog signals. When attacked, younger children are more likely to be bitten on the head or neck, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries.
An average of two Floridians die annually and 600 others are hospitalized from dog bite injuries, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Previous Cases
Leesfield & Partners attorneys have seen some of the most gruesome dog attack injury cases in recent years. In a case involving a 77-year-old Leesfield & Partners client, the woman was viciously attacked by a neighbor’s dog while walking her own dog to check the mail. Her dog, a Welsh terrier, was on a leash while she walked to the mailbox. A neighbor’s large dog, also on a leash, lunged for the terrier as they approached, causing the neighbor to lose control of the leash.
In an attempt to protect her animal, our client stepped between her pet and the aggressive animal. As a result, she suffered horrific bite wounds to her right elbow, forearms and broken bones in her left hand.
A $1.5 million settlement was secured for the woman in that case.
In another case handled by the firm, a young woman was attacked by a dog while out for a walk. The woman was on a sidewalk when a Chesapeake Bay Retriever rushed at her, escaping from an unlocked gate. The dog lunged for the woman’s neck but she was able to use her arm and shoulder to push away its snarling jaws.
A dog sitter who was watching over the animal failed to intervene or attempt to control the animal. Emergency services were called by people who passed the attack in their car.
The woman’s arm suffered the brunt of the attack and a chunk of flesh was ripped off. A six-figure settlement was reached in that case.
In both of these instances, dog attacks were covered by the pet owners’ insurance policy.
Dogs are not the only pets whose actions can expose owners to liability. The firm previously handled a case involving a Florida Keys resident who was bitten by a neighbor’s pet bird. Eric Shane, a Trial Attorney with the firm, represented the victim in that case.
If you believe you have an injury claim after an incident with a pet in Florida, don’t wait. Call Leesfield & Partners for a free consultation at 800-836-6400 or 305-854-4900.
