HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Local 10 reported on a tragic and fatal attack involving a small dog in a Hollywood neighborhood last weekend.
Following the report, a woman has come forward, claiming she was attacked by the same dog last year, questioning why more hasn’t been done to ensure the neighborhood’s safety.
In a harrowing incident last Sunday, a 3-year-old Shih Tzu named Luna was killed by a large, unrestrained dog in the city’s Liberia neighborhood.
According to Deanna Bettineschi, a spokeswoman for the Hollywood Police Department, police officers found the small dog dead outside of a house along Raleigh Street, west of North 26 Avenue.
Luna’s owner, Abe Massre, shared video with Local 10 of his desperate attempt to save her, but it was not enough.
“He had her by the neck and she was crying, hitting this thing. He wouldn’t let her go,” said Massre.
According to Broward County court records, this wasn’t the first time the dog in question had attacked.
Last July, the dog’s owner lost control of his pit mix while walking it, resulting in an attack on another woman. Though she chose not to reveal her identity, the victim stated that she was bitten multiple times while protecting her two Chihuahuas.
Expressing her fear, the woman emphasized that she now feels unsafe walking in her own neighborhood due to the perceived danger posed by the dog.
Massre is questioning why the dog wasn’t classified as dangerous after the initial attack and is advocating for the dog to be euthanized.
“You have a responsibility as a pet owner to do the right thing and you really need to put your dog down,” he said.
Local 10′s efforts to reach the owner for comment have been unsuccessful. Meanwhile, discussions with the Hollywood police are underway regarding the next steps concerning the dog’s status.