More dog attack victims come forward after Putnam County mauling

PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — Ruben Josey suffered severe injuries throughout his body after 8 dogs attacked him in Satsuma in late January. 

According to documents First Coast News obtained from Putnam Control Animal Control, the dogs that attacked Josey bit two other people before.

Josey was mauled so badly that he was life-flighted to a hospital in Gainesville. 

He lost a portion of his left ear and received staples in his head from the cuts and bite marks.

Dog aggression expert Jim Crosby says his injuries – and the dog attack – should never have happened.

“The fact that we have other victims shows me that this is a pattern of behavior, that it sounds like, the owner never addressed,” Crosby explained. 

Those two other victims never reported their injuries to Putnam County Animal Control.  

The sheriff’s office says the owner won’t be charged because there was no known prior history of aggressive behavior.

Crosby says state statute allows for negligence charges to be filed.  

“The negligence statute doesn’t require intent. You don’t have to mean to be reckless. If you simply are, then you can be held accountable for it,” he said. 

We reached out to the dog’s owner, but he has not returned our calls.  

All 8 of the dogs were euthanized.

Crosby says it is an unfortunate reminder that owners are responsible for their pets. He wants to know, if the dogs posed a threat before, why did the owner allow them to run loose?

“If they hadn’t been running loose, they wouldn’t have been exposed to this person. If you have dogs that have problems with people, don’t let them run loose,” he said. 

Josey plans to pursue civil charges against the owner. 

His friend oversees a GoFundMe page to help with his medical expenses.