Man walking his dog shoots four attacking dogs, Fort Lauderdale police say
A man walking his dog Friday morning in Fort Lauderdale opened fire on four other dogs that were not leashed and became aggressive toward him and his pet, police said.
The shots hit all four dogs, killing two of them, according to police. The two others were taken to a nearby veterinarian hospital. The leashed dog was badly injured by the other animals, and her owner took her to a veterinarian to be treated, said Casey Liening, a police spokeswoman.
The incident happened around 9:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of Northeast Seventh Street. The owner of the four dogs was injured by his pets on his hand and went to the hospital for treatment, Liening said, adding he may face fines and “arrest for various charges.” He has not been named.
Police describe the attacking dogs as “mostly large breeds, pit bulls and mastiffs,” and the leashed dog as “a smaller pit bull mix.”
Liening said there was “at least one prior incident involving these same dogs.”
The owner of the leashed dog, who police have not named, won’t likely face charges based on detectives’ preliminary investigation because it appears he was acting in self-defense and in defense of his pet, Liening said.
This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 11:45 AM.
