Dog attacks 9-year-old girl in Charlotte County

A dog suddenly attacked a little girl who was playing on her lanai. Her mother was hurt by that dog as well.

Officials with Charlotte County Animal Services say the dog latched onto the girl’s face. According to the child’s grandfather, both the girl and her mother are doing alright. But, they are still in the hospital recovering.

This happened along Riverhead Avenue in Charlotte County on Tuesday morning. Brian Jones is the division manager for Charlotte County Animal Services. “The dog really did some damage here,” said Jones.

That dog, Milo, is now at an animal shelter after attacking a 9-year-old girl. He got under a fence and found his way into her backyard. “It slipped under a neighbors fence into an area of the backyard where the child was playing,” Jones said.

Then he started attacking the young girl. “The mother was inside of the home. Upon hearing some commotion, came out to investigate, and saw the dog literally on the child’s face,” Jones said.

When the mother saw the dog on her daughter’s face, she sprang into action to protect her. “The mom was right on it very quickly and fended the dog off of her child, which probably saved any further injuries from happening,” said Jones.

Thomas Blaine lives nearby and says that’s what any parent would do for their child. “Parents have that… that feeling, that emotion. I’m going to protect my kid,” said Blaine.

Animal control was able to catch the dog after it ran through the neighborhood. “It is a neighbors dog, and it is still currently running loose,” you can hear in the first responder calls.

This attack wasn’t Milo’s first offense, either. He bit a salesman back in September.

Now, those who live in the neighborhood are hoping people take notes, so this won’t happen again.

Milo is now under investigation, and animal service is determining whether to label him as a “dangerous animal.” His owner is being fined $530.