Pasco County Child Mauled by Pet Dog
A family in Pasco County is devastated after their family pet mauled their young child. The County Sheriff’s Department says that Jasper Debow, 4, was bitten by the family’s Rottweiler at his grandmother’s home in New Port Richey shortly after 4:00 p.m. on Sunday of this week. The Pasco County Animal Control took possession of the dog after the attack and has it under a ten-day rabies quarantine at the shelter in Land O’ Lakes.
Jasper was airlifted by paramedics to St. Joseph’s Hospital after the attack where he is recovering from his injuries. His great-grandmother spoke to reporters saying, “I know we’re all heartbroken. We’re in tears. He’s fighting for his life. That’s all I can say. His one ear was severed, it’s horrible.”
Once the ten-day quarantine is over for the dog, the family has the opportunity to decide whether they want to take him back. According to the manager of Pasco County Animal Services, it is unclear at this point what exactly prompted the attack. He reported that “The dog was tethered outside, the child was playing outside by the dog, the child got up to go into the house and at that point the dog attacked the child.”
Animal bite cases around the Tampa area are quite common. “Believe it or not, we (Pasco County) average about 100-140 bite cases a month.”
Florida Dog Bite Statistics
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year around 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs in the United States. Of those, around 800,000 people require some level of medical attention, and 360,000 of those victims must be treated in the emergency room. Half of dog bite victims who require medical attention are children.
In a recent report published by State Farm, it was noted that in Florida boys are two and a half times more likely to be bitten by a dog than a girl. In addition, children between the ages of one and nine are at the highest risk for dog bites, and this group is also the most likely to be bitten in the head or neck.
Every year, over 600 people in Florida are hospitalized because of dog bite attacks and on average two people every year die. Over 85% of dog bites involving children less than six years old were from dogs known to the family, and more than half occurred in the home. In addition, the cause of dog bites for 39% of children ages six years old or younger was unknown, which suggests that some young children may have been unsupervised when in contact with the dog that attacked.
Call a Florida Dog Bite Lawyer Today
The results of a dog bite, especially if it happens to a young child, can be devastating and cause permanent injuries, scarring, and disfigurement. If you or a loved one has been injured in a dog attack in Tampa, Orlando, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, or West Palm Beach let the experienced dog bite lawyers at The Pendas Law Firm help. Call or contact the office today for a free and confidential consultation of your case.
