FLORIDA CITY, FLA. (WSVN) – A 3-year-old girl was taken to the hospital after, police said, she was attacked by a large dog that had escaped from a Florida City home, Friday night.
According to Florida City Police, Sani Julian and her father, Michael Green, were walking to a nearby convenience store to buy milk when a mastiff mix bit the girl, just before 8:30 p.m.
Investigators said the canine ran out of its residence, tore through a gate and lunged at the victim along the 1200 block of Northwest Eighth Place.
Green told 7News the dog’s owner came to help. The father and the dog’s owner tried to stop the mauling, but officials said the animal bit Sani on her back and legs.
“It took [the owner] a while to get [the dog] off, about four or five minutes,” said Green.
#Breaking: Sani Julian, 3, in emergency surgery now after being attacked by dog while walking to store w/her dad in Fl City. @wsvn pic.twitter.com/ZBX2jgXLT0
— Sheldon Fox-7 News (@fox_sheldon) February 25, 2017
When asked to describe the size of the dog, Green said estimated the animal’s weight to be about “80, 75 pounds.”
Friday night, the girl was undergoing emergency surgery at Kendall Regional Medical Center after she was airlifted by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. “Something about her appendix, they’ve got to cut open,” said Green.
Sani’s father said the girl’s mother is at the hospital. Sani’s mother said by Saturday morning, Sani was up and talking and on the road to recovery.
Miami-Dade Animal Services has confiscated the dog. 7News cameras captured the animal being taken out of its home and placed into a van.
Detectives interviewed the owner of the dog, as well as the girl’s father. Animal Services has charged the owner with having a loose dog, the attack on the child and not having the animal vaccinated for rabies.
Officials said additional charges may follow.
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