Family says 11-year-old boy mauled by neighbor's dog

Dog jumps fence, attacks boy playing on trampoline

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An 11-year-old Northwest Jacksonville boy is recovering Wednesday after he was mauled in his backyard by a neighbor’s dog, according to the boy's family. 

The family said the attack happened Tuesday night at a home on Allendale Circle. 

The boy’s mother, Ervina Hare, told News4Jax that her son was playing on a trampoline in their backyard when a neighbor’s mixed-breed dog jumped the fence and attacked him. 

“This dog was on top of my son on the trampoline. My daughter picked up the rake and started beating the dog,” Hare said. 

The boy’s sister, Ary-Yvonne Brown, said the dog tried to turn on her while she was trying to help her brother. 

“He tried to bite the rake but he didn’t,” Brown said. “It just hopped the gate back.” 

The boy suffered several deep bite wounds to his leg and his right thumb was bitten so badly that doctors had to reattach it. But the greatest injury may be psychological. 

“When he was in the hospital, every time he closed his eyes and tried to sleep, all he would say is, ‘Get off me. Please stop. Dog, I’m not bothering you. Dog, why you doing this to me?’ He’s severely traumatized.”

The event was also too much to handle for Hare. 

“When it first happened, the rescue got here and I was a patient and he was a patient. I blacked out,” Hare said. “They had to pick me up and bring me back to see about him. It was terrifying. All I saw was blood and my son screaming for his life.”

The dog has not been removed from the property, even though a police report was filed. Hare said she received a service notice from animal control saying they needed more information. 

News4Jax tried talking to the dog’s owner but he was not home. The boy’s family did say the owner was very apologetic about his dog’s actions. 

While a News4Jax crew was at the boy’s home, noise from the trampoline seemed to trigger the dog to become agitated to the point where it appeared as though the dog would try to jump the fence. 


About the Author:

Award-winning broadcast and multimedia journalist with 20 years experience.