Local man injured, his puppy loses front leg after reported dog attack in Ponte Vedra

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A Ponte Vedra man said he almost lost his ear, and his small puppy lost one of its front legs after a reported dog attack on Friday.

Action News Jax Shanila Kabir spoke to the owners who said their 9-month-old Papillon breed puppy, Rocky, had one leg amputated at the First Coast Vet Emergency Room. Joyce and Tim Hayes said Rocky is now recovering as a three-legged puppy; however, they are still looking for the dogs and the owner responsible.

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“The doctor thought he could do an operation and save the leg, but it was broken, had a lot of damage and a big piece of flesh was missing. Unfortunately, when he started the operation, he called and said there was too much nerve damage it,” said owner Tim Hayes.

Rocky was attacked by a large pit bull mix in Ponte Vedra beach near Turtles Shore beach entrance.

Tim said when he was trying to protect his puppy, another dog jumped in, and then a third dog which he said began attacking him.

“I had to get 6 to 7 stitches behind my ear last night. The doctor was happy that they didn’t rip my ear off all the way,” said Tim.

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Rocky’s owners claimed there was one woman with her five dogs that did not have leashes on the beach. Tim’s wife, Joyce Hayes, said that the owner helped to get her dogs off them, but then she left the scene.

The couple asks her to come forward so animal control can assess her dogs.

“I grabbed my husband’s T-shirt to wrap his head with it because he was bleeding profusely. When I turned around, I saw she was leaving with her dogs and just leaving us there at the scene,” said Joyce.

However, the couple said the situation could have been much worse. Tim Hayes said he has begun the process of receiving rabies shots.

Action News Jax has reached out to the St. John’s Sheriff’s Office for any information on this case, and we are waiting to hear back.

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