A Rottweiler that attacked a 2-year-old girl in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night is with Broward County Animal Care “under quarantine” as the agency conducts an investigation, a spokesperson said Monday.
Shortly after 8 p.m. Saturday, Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue was called to a home along the 1700 block of Southwest 24th Street. The girl had been “mauled” by the dog, Fort Lauderdale Police said.
She had “numerous injuries” and was taken to Broward Health Medical Center’s trauma center, the police department said. Broward County Animal Care took the dog on Sunday and is leading the investigation.
A spokesperson for Broward Health Medical Center did not respond to an email seeking an update on the girl’s condition as of Monday afternoon.
Zachary Rinkins, an Animal Care spokesperson, said in an email Monday afternoon that the agency is conducting a “dangerous dog investigation” and that the agency would not comment further.
During the investigation, Animal Care will interview the dog’s owner and take a sworn statement from anyone with information about whether the dog might be dangerous, according to a Broward County ordinance.
The ordinance defines a dangerous dog as any that has aggressively attacked or injured a person on public or private property, has killed or severely injured a domestic animal while off the owner’s property more than once, has been used for dog fighting and has chased or approached someone on public grounds “in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack” while unprovoked.
Requirements for a dog determined to be dangerous include registration and a certain license, a microchip, a sign displayed at the owner’s home and a proper enclosure, a certificate of rabies vaccination, among others. The owner has to follow a number of requirements to stay in compliance, the ordinance shows.
Animal Care investigators say the girl’s bite injuries were so severe that the dog “required confiscation” by the shelter, meaning the owner must give up total ownership of the dog, likely for euthanasia, the spokesperson said. The owner turned over the Rottweiler for that investigation but “did not wish to surrender the dog,” the spokesperson added.
The Pam Rock Act, which passed the Florida Legislature’s 2025 session and took effect July 1, mandates euthanasia for dogs that kill humans or cause severe injuries. Dog owners can file an appeal to stop the euthanasia while the investigation is ongoing.
Sun Sentinel staff writer Phillip Valys contributed to this report.
