Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Florida: 'We apologize for what the dogs did,' pit bull owner says after man attacked

FLORIDA -- A man who owns three pit bulls that were accused of attacking a man over the weekend in Lauderhill said he is sorry that the victim was injured.

"Only thing we're saying is, we apologize for what the dogs did," he said.

 
 

Another man in the neighborhood told Local 10 News on Tuesday that he believes the dogs were antagonized, and that someone had to help them out of their crate and through their gate.

Reporter Layron Livingston also spoke to a man who claimed to be the victim's brother, Larry Elliot, who would only say that he is "sorry that it happened to him."

Tony Elliot's feet, legs and face are covered in bandages as he recovers at Broward Health Medical Center.

  
  
  
 

Police said Elliot, 55, was mauled by three pit bulls on Saturday while he was visiting family on Northwest Fourth Court.

Police said the dogs got out of their crates, escaped their yard and attacked Elliot.

 
 

Shirley Ace said she is stunned that Elliot was attacked by the dogs since he would visit the home often.

She said the dogs should have been removed from the owners after they previously attacked three people back in October.

"I know these people that the dog belongs to. I don't want to say anything to hurt them, but the dogs should have been gone a long time (ago)," Ace said. 

Broward Animal Care and Adoption Division officials said the owners were cited in that case for the bites, having no rabies vaccination and license for their dogs and they also received muzzle orders for all three dogs.


Officials said someone was also bitten by two of the dogs, Tiny and Chino, in November. The owners received the same citations, plus a violation of the muzzle order and manner of keeping two dogs in a crate.

Hearings have been scheduled for those two cases in February and March.

"We attempted to also set a hearing to cite the dogs as dangerous, however, to date, no statements were ever received from the three victims in the first attack, which is required by ordinance to move forward with a dangerous dog hearing," program coordinator Lisa Mendhein said.

Officials said the dogs will be euthanized once the 10-day quarantine period is over.

(Local10 - January 9, 2018)

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