A teenage girl is back home after she was attacked by a pit bull at her house in Northwest Miami-Dade.
Her discharge came hours after animal control officers arrived at the home to remove the dog following the mauling.
The pit bull’s owner says she feels it was the right thing to do to give up her pet because it attacked one of her family members.
7News cameras captured the owner in tears as she said goodbye to her beloved “Diablo.”
“This is my choice to surrender the dog because it happened once. I feel like it may happen again. Why take the risk?” said the dog owner earlier on Thursday.
The owner, who did not want to be identified, said the pit bull went on the attack on Wednesday afternoon against her 17-year-old niece after the victim began arguing with her sister.
Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the area along Northwest 66th Street near 17th Avenue and found the teen suffering from some serious injuries.
Paramedics with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units rushed her to a nearby hospital.
Deputies said when they arrived, Diablo aggressively approached them and they had to use their Taser, but he ran off and was not struck.
Blood stains mark the efficiency where the attack occurred. 7News cameras captured a sign that reads “beware of dog, dog will bite” posted outside the efficiency.
The teen has since been discharged after undergoing surgery. The family said she is recovering well from her injuries.
The dog’s owner said the young victim lived in the efficiency with her mother, who took care of the animal in exchange for a place to stay.
The family said the canine lived in the efficiency because it cannot live in the family’s home due to the owner’s husband’s allergies.
Following the attack, the owner said she was shocked that it had happened.
“He’s usually not an aggressive dog. I don’t know exactly what happened,” she said.
Neighbors say they had seen the dog and the family before.
“I went to look out of my window and that’s when I saw the dog attacking the girl. I got nervous because I saw the girl was bleeding a lot from her arm,” said an area resident.
On Thursday, the dog returned to the efficiency and was ultimately handed over to Miami-Dade Animal Services.
The owner said her beloved pet will be euthanized.
