OCOEE, Fla. – Two loose dogs attacked and killed a smaller dog in an Ocoee neighborhood earlier this week, according to the Orange County Animal Services.
In a statement, OCAS officials said that the attack took place on Tuesday along Fritwell Court, which is where the dogs fatally attacked the pup—nicknamed “Louis” — as he was in the care of his owner.
“This is a tragic and avoidable incident that underscores the importance of keeping dogs confined and properly leashed,” the statement reads. “Our thoughts are with Louis’s family during this heartbreaking time.”
Louis’ owner, Luz Rivera, told News 6 that the two larger dogs belong to her neighbor, and the attack happened as she walked to her mailbox on Tuesday afternoon.
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“The moment they grabbed him like that, they killed him because he was only 6 pounds,” she said.
Adding to the misfortune, Rivera said she received Louis’ official service dog certificate in the mail just days beforehand.
In a frantic response, Rivera was captured on Ring doorbell footage calling for help from a neighbor just moments after the attack.
“I turn around, and these two huge dogs (came out) from nowhere, and they grabbed Louis by the torso,” Rivera explained. “At the time, I didn’t know. The moment they grabbed him like that, they killed him.”
Other residents in the neighborhood have expressed their fear about these aggressive dogs, with several confirming their concerns but not wanting to speak out publicly to News 6.
However, the OCAS also noted that the dogs had previously been reported loose in March and attacked another dog, resulting in a “gash.”
But in that case, the owner of the injured dog only asked that the aggressing dogs’ owner be “educated,” and no further punitive action was taken, OCAS officials stated.
Meanwhile, the aggressing dogs’ owner has been issued several citations as a result of this latest attack, accruing $750 in fines, officials added.
Despite the attack being fatal, though, the OCAS said that these dogs aren’t yet considered “dangerous.”
“Animal Services operates within the bounds of (Florida law) in order to review and classify dogs as ‘dangerous,’” the statement continues. “The law defines a ‘dangerous dog’ as one that ‘has more than once severely injured or killed a domestic animal while off the owner’s property.’ Currently, there is one confirmed severe attack attributed to these aggressing dogs.”
Regardless, the OCAS encourages any residents with additional information to reach out to Animal Services, which will investigate further.
News 6 tried to get in touch with the owner of the aggressive dogs, though no one answered the door.
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