Florida Boy Dies After Dog Attack, Ahead of New Law That Bars Local Bans on Pit Bulls
A 6-year-old Florida boy has died after he was attacked by a pit bull-mix dog that lived in the same home.
The North Port Police Department said the boy suffered extensive injuries to his upper torso and was flown to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, then was later taken to Tampa General Hospital, according to news reports.
The dog was removed from the home by Sarasota County Animal Services.
The attack came two weeks after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 942, which invalidates local bans on pit bulls. Miami-Dade County banned pit bulls in 1989 after a 7-year-old girl was attacked. The girl survived but required extensive reconstructive surgery, local news outlets reported.
The state law, which takes effect Oct. 1, prohibits local ordinances that ban dogs by breed, weight or size, but allows public housing authorities to maintain restrictions on “dangerous dogs” as long as the rules don’t specify breed or size. Local animal control or law enforcement authorities may declare a dog dangerous after an investigation, the bill notes.
The Florida Legislature approved the bill this spring with only one “nay” vote in the Senate.
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