‘I thought I was going to die’: Woman recounts dog attack
By Spencer Tracy
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VOLUSIA COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — A Volusia County woman is recovering after she was attacked by two dogs while delivering food to an Ormond Beach home.
The case is now under review as county officials decide whether to designate the animals as dangerous.
Francis Williams said she was delivering an order last week when the dogs charged at her in her customer’s yard.
“Before I even looked to see what happened, I had a dog on my leg and I was on the ground,” Williams said. “Then another jumped in.”
Williams was bitten on her hand, arm, and leg, with her leg taking the worst of the injuries. She has undergone multiple surgeries and is now using a wheelchair during her recovery.
“I just felt like I was going to die,” she said through tears. “It’s going to be a long process. I can’t walk. I can’t put any weight on it.”
Volusia County Animal Services held a hearing Wednesday to determine the dogs’ fate. But no final decision was made, in part because the dogs’ owners did not appear.
The county attorney said Williams had permission to be on the property and did nothing to provoke the animals.
“She did not assault the dog and was allowed to be on the property,” the attorney said during the hearing.
The attorney recommended the dogs be classified as dangerous — a designation that would require the owners to follow strict regulations, including containment measures, warning signs, and liability insurance.
“I’m sorry, I’m a dog lover. We have a dog. I absolutely love dogs,” Williams said. “But this dog is dangerous.”
Volusia County Animal Services is currently holding the dogs. The owners have 14 days to respond and comply with safety requirements. If they fail to do so, the animals could become county property.
A final decision is expected sometime next week.
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