St. Johns County community looks for help after dog attack

Community leaders and government officials meet this month at the Flagler Estates Road and Water Control District office at 9850 Light Ave. Around 40 people gathered to discuss concerns about dogs running loose in the community.

Clayton Brock and his spouse, Francis, lately misplaced Winnie, their 300-pound breeding pig, to a canine attack in Flagler Estates earlier this month.

Brock said dogs jumped the fence at his house and attacked Winnie so badly she had to be euthanized. Dogs also killed chickens and ducks on the home.

“I seen feathers everywhere, bones and parts of chickens almost everywhere, and the ducks were completely gone and obliterated,” he said. “And then I went more than to feed the animals, and I discovered my just one pig wasn’t shifting. So I walked more than to the pig, and that is when I seen her entire ear was absent, and I was like, ‘What are we heading to do?'”

The Brocks and other people say canines wandering loose in the neighborhood is a common situation that has led to assaults or aggressive behavior against men and women and animals. The assault prompted a local community assembly this month, where people today sought responses on what could be completed and how to guard by themselves.

Two dogs who attacked Clayton and Francis Brock's pig stand at the couple's fence in Flagler Estates. The dogs have been euthanized.

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Two of the puppies have been euthanized since of the killing and because no owner arrived forward, according to county spokeswoman Lorena Inclan. The pet dogs experienced collars, according to an animal management report.

A 3rd pet dog, which may perhaps have attacked a duck on the house, was still alive as of the 7 days of the conference. Animal regulate planned to supply a pet trap to the Brocks to support catch the animal, mentioned Paul Studivant, division manager for St. Johns County Animal Manage.

There were being two reports of puppies biting human beings within just Flagler Estates, a rural section of southwest St. Johns County, in about the to start with 50 percent of the yr, according to Inclan. One particular associated a lady bitten by her possess puppy although seeking to maintain it from attacking a stray dog. The 2nd incident happened after a puppy broke its chain and ran into a highway, “causing injury to a human being going for walks their dog on a leash.”

Southwest St. Johns County documented 33 leash regulation grievances, which refers “to animals roaming with no intense conduct,” in about the initial 6 months of the 12 months, and eight reports about dogs attacking animals or barking at folks, in accordance to Studivant. That could include incidents in components of the county exterior of Flagler Estates.

Resident afraid to walk her doggy

Flagler Estates is an unincorporated place that is typically element of St. Johns County Commission District 2, which is represented by Commissioner Sarah Arnold. Arnold did not respond to a ask for for comment. She did not go to the neighborhood meeting.

Commission Chair Henry Dean claimed he had not heard of the current assault or the broader situation of aggressive pet dogs in the location, but he prepared to communicate with animal regulate and the county administrator about the issue.

“I believe a person of our biggest responsibilities is general public protection as a county commission, and that contains providing safe neighborhoods to our people and our residents,” Dean mentioned.

The Brocks explained canine roaming the community, sometimes performing aggressively or biting, is nothing at all new.

“All of them out here? It is really insane. It can be just about every solitary day, you’re generally having a write-up about a pet getting out right here,” Clayton Brock said.

Francis Brock mentioned she’s frightened to walk her puppy in the neighborhood because she is concerned about other puppies attempting to approach her dog and combat. Part of the issue arrives from animals escaping from their have yards. But portion of the issue stems from people today abandoning puppies in the neighborhood, she mentioned.

“People today don’t want them any more and they bring them out listed here and just dump them, and then they run the community that way,” she claimed.

Working with dog attacks in St. Johns County

The meeting this thirty day period drew about 40 folks to a little home in a making on Light Avenue where by govt officials satisfy, together with the Flagler Estates Street and Water Management District.

The conference was led by David Williams, an official with the road and water district Walt Smith, a member of the Flagler Estates Neighborhood Redevelopment Area steering committee Studivant and St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office environment Capt. Tim Burres, who addresses the spot.

Inhabitants shared tales about becoming threatened by intense pet dogs that came onto their properties and attacks that have occurred in new years. They elevated issues about what to do if they discover them selves, other folks or their animals under assault.

“Can you just take that puppy out?” a person individual asked.

Burres responded, “I would say if it truly is actively attacking you, by all usually means, yes, get that animal out. If it attacks and then leaves and goes to, say, your neighbor’s house, allow us (the sheriff’s office), allow animal control handle it from there. I would not recommend going more than to somebody else’s home armed and then having into a confrontation with somebody and then it change out to be extra than an animal, you know, receiving killed.”

Smith asked about a scenario involving a gentleman who went to jail soon after killing a chicken that attacked him.

“He gave it a karate chop,” Smith said, introducing the hen didn’t die quickly.

It was not clear which incident Smith was referring to, but a Jacksonville gentleman was not long ago arrested on an animal cruelty charge right after killing a rooster, in accordance to the New York Submit. The male reported he unintentionally hit and killed the rooster with a stick in self-protection, according to the New York Publish.

“I am not familiar with the circumstance involving the hen,” Burres advised the group.

But he stated there is a significant distinction amongst animal cruelty and defending oneself, other people or one’s animals.

“In the warmth of the instant, we are unable to assume you to generally set them down, you know, with a initial shot or anything if it arrived to that,” Burres reported. “So I would not be concerned with anything at all like that. Now, if you are roaming the neighborhood just getting pot shots at animals, absolutely unique scenario there.”

Burres also reported if people today can get by themselves and their animals to security and simply call the sheriff’s place of work, that should really be finished 1st. Capturing or in any other case harming a dog should really only take place when there is no other option, he reported.

Studivant said that men and women have the right to defend on their own and their assets, these types of as in the scenario of the attack on the Brocks’ pig. But he explained individuals also should be careful not to harass or injure protected wildlife.

He proposed movement-sensor sprinklers as a way to ward off birds. But he explained the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission can reply wildlife concerns.