7-year-old boy hospitalized with minor injuries following dog attack in Fort Lauderdale – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – A 7-year-old boy is recovering in a hospital after being attacked by a dog in a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood.
According to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue, the boy suffered a minor leg injury after he was bitten by a dog near 1812 Northwest 15th Court at around 3:45 p.m.
A good Samaritan, Vonda Kates, who helped the boy said he was playing with other kids when the attack happened.
“They were playing as usual, then all of a sudden, ‘Ow,’ he just went to howling and I said,’ Oh, mercy, mercy, mercy,” said Kates.
After being bitten, the little boy ran to Kates’ home for help.
“I just ran in the house and got the peroxide and gauze, just to clean it up, just to try to make him feel better,” said Kates.
Another neighbor called paramedics, who arrived a short time later.
Officials say the young boy suffered minor injuries but was transported to Broward Health Medical Center as a precaution.
The boy’s close call made Kates emotional on what could’ve happened.
“For me it was devastating because these are my children, you know, the children of the neighborhood are like my children,” said Kates.
She said she wishes people in her neighborhood would do a better job keeping their dogs under control.
“They need to put them on leash, they need to just stop all of this, come on, don’t just let the dogs roam the neighborhood like this,” said Kates. “It’s a danger.”
Meanwhile, the boy and others in the area are fortunate to have a watchful, caring eye looking after them.
“That’s just me, kindhearted, tend to them, you know, I just have a thing for little children,” said Kates. “It’s in me. Lord knows the kindness is in me.”
No word on what will happen to the dog involved in the attack.
The young boy is expected to be OK.
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