Fort Lauderdale

5-Year-Old Recovers From Brutal Dog Attack in Fort Lauderdale, Animal Control Investigates

The 5-year-old’s mother, who happens to be an ER physician, made a quick assessment and rushed her to the emergency room at Broward General Hospital

NBC Universal, Inc.

A 5-year-old girl is recovering after a dog viciously attacked her at a park in Fort Lauderdale Friday afternoon.

Her father, Florian Becker, told NBC 6 he was home when his wife took the kids to Horrt Park.

At the park, a woman offered them to pet her dog, claiming the dog was "really good with kids."

When his daughter went up to the dog, Becker said she was really cautious. She pet the dog and it turned its head and bit her in the face.

Becker said his wife was on the phone 10 feet away. When she saw what happened, she dropped her phone and ran toward their daughter.

She grabbed the dog by the collar, but the collar clip broke and the dog broke free and attacked the little girl again.

Despite the dog being on a leash, Becker said the owner was not really restraining the dog.

He said his wife wrestled the dog to the ground and made it let go and yelled to the dog's owner to restrain the dog, but Becker said she would not do anything. She then screamed to the woman to take her dog.

The 5-year-old’s mother, who happens to be an ER physician, made a quick assessment and rushed her to the emergency room at Broward General Hospital.

Becker told NBC 6 it took about five hours to stitch up the little girl. She had multiple bite wounds to her head, skull, shoulders and back. Becker said she almost lost an eye.

Doctors attended the little girl as best they could. Becker said they were concerned about rabies because they knew very little about the dog that attacked her. The dog's owner had said she had adopted the dog recently.

According to the father, the dog and owner have been found. Animal Control took the dog either last night or this morning and are currently investigating the incident.

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