Dogs attack Decatur veteran’s emotional support animal outside her front door

DECATUR, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – A veteran in Decatur said her emotional support animal was physically injured after two dogs chased her and her small dogs onto her own porch.

The terrifying moments were caught on camera.

She’s sharing her story in hopes of protecting others in her community from the same attack.

“This was my safe zone,” said Sharon, who only wanted to use their first name. “I feel like a boundary was crossed.”

She said she is used to walking her two small dogs around her Decatur neighborhood.

But Sunday was the first time she didn’t make it past her driveway.

A front door camera captured two larger dogs following Sharon to her doorstep as she fought to put her smaller dog in the house first.

“I went to grab Stormy and that’s when the gray dog bit him and tried to pull him,” she said.

Sharon said she’d never seen the dogs that sent her emotional support dog, a two-year-old Maltese, to the ER.

“The leash law in Dekalb County is very plain and simple,” said Danyal Harper, an animal enforcement supervisor with DeKalb County Animal Enforcement Services (DCAES).

DCAES is reminding residents that violations of county ordinances and animal-related laws can result in impounds, citations and/or fines.

“We want to make sure everyone is secured on their property, as well as keeping unwanted pets off your property,” said Harper.

The community can also help keep their neighbors and four-legged friends safe.

“We advise everyone to call anytime an animal is loose or an animal is in distress, let the enforcement officers make the decision if it has an owner or if it is a situation of neglect or cruelty we need to investigate,” said Harper.

“My neighbor and I, we’re responsible dog owners,” said Sharon. “We take it seriously to leash our pets.”

As her Maltese recovers, Sharon is calling on dog owners to not only be careful but also mindful.

“For it to happen in my own yard on my doorstep, I think that’s the most traumatizing,” she said.

The owner of the other dogs has not been found.

Copyright 2023 WANF. All rights reserved.