A 4-year-old Fort Lauderdale girl is facing a long recovery after a dog clamped onto her leg and foot outside an apartment complex off Northwest 19th Street on Friday. Her family says she has already undergone surgery and will need follow-up plastic surgery on her foot. The child's mother, Brittany McKinney, says the dog had a collar and looked cared for, even though officers at the scene initially could not find an owner.
Mother Describes the Attack
McKinney told WSVN that the dog suddenly came around a curb, grabbed her daughter, and then bit her when she tried to pull the child away. She said she started screaming for help as the struggle unfolded. "I'm just like terrified, this dog could kill us, like, we might die here," she told the station. Crews rushed 4-year-old Skyler to Broward Health Medical Center, where doctors performed surgery and stitched her leg and foot. McKinney says neighbors and relatives helped pry the animal off her daughter and that Skyler still faces more operations.
Dog Held at County Shelter
Police said no owner was located at the scene and that the dog is now in quarantine at the county shelter while officials investigate. According to Broward County Animal Care, the division handles bite reports, quarantine holds and impounds, and provides phone numbers and extensions for residents to report incidents. The agency notes that animal-control staff investigate reported cases and can place animals under quarantine or seize them while authorities decide what comes next.
What Florida Law Allows
Florida law makes dog owners liable for injuries if their dogs bite someone who is lawfully in a public or private place, even if the animal has no prior record of aggression. The law also authorizes animal-control agencies to investigate and label certain animals as dangerous, which can lead to impoundment or, in serious situations, destruction of the dog. Details are outlined in Florida Legislature records for Chapter 767.
This Is Not Isolated
The Fort Lauderdale attack comes on the heels of other recent dog incidents in Broward County, including a February case in Hallandale Beach in which a 1-year-old was bitten and the family dog was later euthanized, as Local 10 reported. Advocates and neighbors say repeated cases are sparking questions about enforcement, owner accountability and whether county resources for investigations and outreach are keeping up.
Mother Demands Accountability
McKinney told WSVN she wants the dog euthanized and intends to press police and animal-control officials for answers. "’Cause I'm not letting up, I’m not letting up about my daughter," she said. Family members plan to track the county's investigation as authorities work to identify the dog's owner.
How Neighbors Can Help
Broward County Animal Care lists a bite-reporting extension and media contacts that residents can use to share video, photos or eyewitness information about attacks, and to check on the status of open investigations. Officials say anyone with tips should contact animal control or local police so investigators can determine whether a dog should be formally classified as dangerous and whether civil or criminal penalties are warranted.
