Florida woman, 80, said she fended off ferocious dogs that attacked her dog on a walk
MELBOURNE, Fla. - A Florida neighborhood is on high alert after a dog walk turned into a fight for survival.
An 80-year-old woman said she fought off two large dogs that sent her small dog to an emergency veterinarian with bites requiring stitches. The whole attack happened in a matter of minutes on July 1.
Kay Burnette had turned a corner when she says two ferocious dogs ran up on her, forcing her to take drastic measures to protect her dog, Ivey. Her neighbors didn't hear her screaming for help, so she did whatever she could to protect her treasured pet.
After the ordeal, her 9-year-old dog still has those stitches and is a bit shaken up after a walk turned into a wrestling match.
"She sort of wants to be able to see me all the time, and she really hadn’t gone back out for a walk or anything, so she’s pretty much just been in the house for right now," Burnette added.
The attack happened on Ixora Drive. Burnette says she remembers two huskies running up and lunging at her and Ivey. She fought off the dogs as best she could.
"She was still on the leash, and I was trying to pull and get her, and they were going after her," she added. "I just fell down on the ground and covered her up with my body."
Neighbors say dogs on the loose are an issue, and they’re worried another attack could happen.
Kay Burnette, of Melbourne Florida, said she fought off two large dogs that sent her small dog to an emergency veterinarian with bites requiring stitches.
"If they attacked that old lady, just imagine the little five-year-old boy. They could have bit him up real bad and stuff. If nobody was out here to help him, they would have probably continued to attack," said Tyrone Taswell.
His family ran to help their neighbor when they realized she was under attack. Burnette’s Maltipoo had to get stitches on both legs and days later, Burnette still has bruises and a hefty vet fee.
"The emergency room vet isn’t cheap. I’ll be paying well over $1,000 in bills," she exclaimed.
Attorneys say she could take this to court and would have a strong case.
"She could definitely take that to small claims court and be awarded $1,000. Like I said, it’s strict liability. They wouldn’t have a defense," said Geoffrey Golub who’s a criminal defense attorney in Melbourne.
Kay Burnette, of Melbourne Florida, said she fought off two large dogs that sent her small dog to an emergency veterinarian with bites requiring stitches.
The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office says they tracked down where the dogs came from, and the owner of the dogs could be ticketed.
"When you let your dog run freely, that’s kind of bad," Taswell added saying he’s seen dogs in the neighborhood dig under fences to get out of their enclosures. "I’ll be more careful when I see strange dogs that aren’t on a leash," Burnette concluded.
Ivey and Burnette are spending more time inside, and if they ever go for a walk again she’ll have pepper spray on her.
Brevard County Animal Control is conducting a bite investigation into this attack. The sheriff’s office says, since there is a countywide leash ordinance in effect, dog owners need to make sure their animals are under control at all times