A dog owner in Hollywood, Florida, may face criminal charges for failing to take his 6-month-old puppy to an animal hospital after she was viciously attacked by multiple dogs, NBC6 News reports.
Hollywood Police detectives said the Pit Bull puppy named Hildie was seriously injured by three dogs. The altercation occurred in the backyard of a home on Thursday, Dec. 7. Authorities responded to reports from concerned neighbors of the dogs ganging up on Hildie as they dragged her across the yard.
One neighbor told WSVN 7 News that all she heard was “excruciating sounds of a dog in pain and screaming.”
According to the Hollywood Police, Hildie’s owner wasn’t home at the time of the attack. Nevertheless, authorities contacted and informed him of what had happened. Police said the dog owner promised to take the injured puppy to the veterinarian. Unfortunately, that never happened.
Two days after the attack, officers conducting a welfare check-up found the pup in terrible shape. Then, code enforcement officers, who also responded to the home, rushed Hildie to VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital for emergency care.
Puppy’s road to recovery, owner’s custody withdrawn
Linda Ream is a spokesperson for the animal hospital. Speaking on Hildie’s progress, Ream said, “long-term she’s gonna be dealing with these wounds.” Continuing, she added that it’s “going to be a long battle to get those healed up.”
Given the extreme level of negligence portrayed by Hildie’s owner, the city transferred custody of the pup to Paws2Care Coalition, an animal rescue organization. Moreover, authorities issued the owner code violations for failing to provide medical treatment and not submitting proof of rabies vaccination.
Investigations are ongoing to determine whether he will face criminal charges. Meanwhile, Paws2Care is appealing for financial donations to help cover Hildie’s hefty vet bills and ensure she has the care she deserves.
