Local

Deltona woman worries dogs that killed her Chihuahua will strike again

DELTONA, Fla. — A Deltona woman’s daily dog walk turned into her worst nightmare when she said three dogs attacked and killed her Chihuahua.

Eva Perkins said the dogs belong to her neighbor, and Animal Control didn’t take all the dogs away.

Perkins pointed out that the dog owners have a hole in their fence, and that’s how she believes the animals were able to get out on the street.

Perkins said her fiancé was walking their dogs in their Deltona neighborhood when a boxer in the pack of three dogs grabbed his ankle then went after Perkins’ Chihuahua, Missy.

“He said he looked back, and one of the dogs had her on this side, and the other two were attacking her from this side, and there was nothing more he could do,” Perkins said. “The dogs were just pretty much eating her.”

Perkins said the most vicious dog was on the loose until animal control found it later in the night.

“They found him with blood around his mouth,” Perkins said.

While Perkins is heartbroken over Missy, her concern has shifted to children in the neighborhood, because two of the dogs were allowed to stay with the owner, and there’s no guarantee that the third dog will be put down.

“They’ll think the dog is nice, and next thing you know, the dog has turned on them, and I’m really afraid for these kids out there,” she said.

A spokesperson for Deltona said Animal Control officers took the main dog in the attack, and even though it’s considered dangerous, the owner can fight in court to get the dog back.

As for the other two dogs, the owner claimed only one killed Missy, and the city took his word for it.

A portion of a city ordinance reads the dog should be put down, even if it hasn’t attacked before.

But a spokesperson said it’s not a guarantee, especially since there is an appeals process.