05/12/2026
Trigger warning: ‼️
On March 14th, one of my clients parents took Rio pound ( Yorkie/ Havanese mix) and his Pittie brother to Echo Lake Dog Park expecting a normal afternoon. Instead, Rio was attacked—twice—by a large husky whose owner made no attempt to intervene, restrain, or correct her dog while it happened. My clients husband had to physically pull the dog off Rio both times while the owner stood by watching.
They rushed Rio to the nearest emergency clinic thinking he was just in shock, but his injuries were far worse than they realized. He suffered two fractured ribs, puncture wounds on both sides of his body, bruising across his belly and private area, and air trapped beneath his skin from being dragged during the attack.
After filing a police report and going through a long process to identify the owners, they admitted full responsibility and agreed to cover the vet bills. They even discussed setting up a payment plan with my client directly. But once they sent the invoices, they completely stopped responding—to them and even to the detective handling the case.
My clients are now being forced to take legal action while also carrying the emotional and financial burden of helping our dog recover.
Please, for the safety of everyone’s pets, keep your dogs leashed and under control at all times—especially if they are reactive or aggressive around other animals. A situation like this can change someone’s life in seconds.
If anyone would like to help support my little clients recovery and ongoing vet expenses, we would be deeply grateful. Most importantly, we hope sharing this story helps prevent another family and pet from experiencing something similar.
