It’s a heated war of words between Belle Glade neighbors, and a Shih Tzu named Loki is caught right in the middle.
Owner Elijah Smith says his neighbor’s 3 pit bulls came into his front yard and attacked Loki Tuesday night.
“They were trying to kill my dog, and I don’t know why because we’ve never provoke those dogs,” Smith says.
Smith says his entire family stepped in to pry Loki away.
“I really thought my wife and child were going to die,” he says.
A deputy responding to the incident gave him news he wasn’t expecting.
“I said to him so even though we're in our yard, and three massive pit bulls attacked a Shih Tzu, we can get in trouble for that? He was like ‘yeah’.”
Smith says the deputy told him he can be found partially at fault because Loki wasn’t on his leash.
Thursday, we were there as Animal Care and Control interviewed both neighbors, before the 3 pit bull were removed by Animal Care and Control.
The owner’s family was visibly upset.
Smith says his family is even worse off tonight.
His wife is in the hospital after a bite from one of the pit bulls caused an infection.
The bruises on Loki are even more life threatening.
“He was just scared, and sore, he was running a high fever and he was sick,” he says.
Facing the prospect of paying hundreds of dollars for potentially life saving treatment for Loki, he’s not sure what’s next.
He's hoping for help for his dog - from the attacker's owners, or from anyone willing to step in.
“They’re happy creatures, and they trust us to take care of them, and I really feel like…I let my dog down."
Animal Care and Control say despite what Smith was told, an owner can have their dog off their leash on private property.
If the dog was on public property, it’s a different story.
ACC is still investigating the incident.
