LAUDERDALE LAKES, Fla. – A Lauderdale Lakes pet sitter is facing financial devastation after her client’s dog was attacked by a larger, off-leash pit bull, highlighting growing concerns over dangerous pets in Broward County.
Donna Wilson, who was walking 8-pound Joffer on a leash in her neighborhood on Jan. 25th, watched in horror as a large tan pit bull named Hercules, owned by Wilford Morris, charged at the Yorkie.
“I looked down, and the pit bull had him in his mouth,” Wilson said. “My instinct at that point was I need to get him away from this dog, I need to get him out of that dog’s mouth!”
Wilson rushed Joffer to Blue Pearl Emergency Pet Hospital, where veterinarians feared the worst.
The dog’s injuries were so severe it appeared as though the back of his body had been completely torn apart.
“They saw him and they looked and the first thing that they said was ‘Oh my God! How do we fix this?’” Wilson recalled.
Veterinarian Sagen Woolery was able to perform life-saving surgery, but the cost exceeded $10,000.
“By some miracle, every major structure in the area that he was injured was spared by just a couple millimeters,” Woolery said.
While Joffer survived, his owner, Susan Ramnarain, says she is struggling to cover the mounting medical bills.
Ramnarain, who has been working seven days a week to pay off the surgery costs, reached out to Morris for help but received little assistance.
“I have nothing to give you, I have no insurance,” Ramnarain said when speaking to Morris. “I’m living on Veteran’s pay, I live in a condo. What do you want me to give you?”
Ramnarain described Joffer as more than just a pet, but a companion and member of her family.
“Joffey is my soul companion, this is who I look forward to going home to,” she said. “This is my baby.”
The attack on Joffer is not the first time Hercules has been involved in violent incidents.
Broward County Animal Care’s records show that the pit bull has attacked at least two other small dogs and been involved in two human attacks.
Despite this troubling history, Hercules was not deemed a dangerous dog, and no action was taken to remove him from his home. A muzzle order was in place at the time of the attack on Joffer.
“This could have been avoided, but because of your negligence and you not paying attention to your dog, a big dog too, it almost cost me mine,” Wilson said.
Wilson was also injured during the attack, suffering painful injuries to her left shoulder and chest as she shielded Joffer from the pit bull’s continued assault. She said that had help not arrived in time, the situation could have been far worse.
“He jumped on me really hard, he pushed me down and he was on top of me in my face,” Wilson said. “Had they not come out and taken him off, he probably would have bit my face.”
The case has raised serious concerns about the safety of both animals and humans in the area. Ramnarain emphasized that the consequences of the attack could have been far worse if it had been a child instead of a dog.
“You have to understand this could have been a child!” Ramnarain said.
Local 10 News conducted a public records request and discovered that Morris has racked up more than $1,200 in citations from Broward County Animal Care, yet Hercules has never been classified as a dangerous dog.
In fact, records show three dogs have been attacked by Hercules, one of which had to be euthanized due to its injuries.
“What does it take for a dog to be deemed dangerous? How many attacks on humans and animals have to occur?” asked Local 10′s Animal Advocate Jacey Birch.
As Joffer continues his recovery, Ramnarain faces the uphill battle of paying off the exorbitant medical costs.
The case has prompted local animal advocates to call for stronger regulations and penalties for dangerous dogs, as well as greater accountability for dog owners who fail to control their pets.
In the meantime, Wilson hopes her experience serves as a reminder to other pet owners about the importance of keeping dangerous animals properly controlled.
Local 10 News will continue to investigate this case and provide updates as authorities consider further action regarding Hercules and his owner.
