Seaside dog killed in attack, owners warn neighboring pets
Seaside residents are warning neighbors to be on the lookout for two large dogs near Military Avenue following an attack on Thursday.
The Seaside family is left mourning the loss of their dog, Jasper, after he was attacked in Havana Soliz Park. He suffered a spinal injury so severe that the veterinarian recommended putting him down. His owners say they're thankful that their other dog survived, but saddened and afraid for the safety of others.
David Woodman was out walking his two dogs, Niley and Jasper, in a nearby park when they were attacked without warning.
“It was very sudden," Woodman said. "What was kind of chilling about this experience is that generally dogs will posture or you’ll get some sign that dogs are going to
attack.”
He described the loose dogs as possibly German Shepherd mixes. They didn't have an owner with them.
David Woodman was out walking his two dogs, Niley and Jasper, in a nearby park when they were attacked without warning.
Now, the family is dealing with the loss of their beloved dog, Jasper, just days after Christmas.
“I don’t have children and I work a very emotionally intensive job as a
social worker," the dogs' other owner, Ena Rosa, said. "So, coming home to my dogs was my sanctuary. And there’s this huge void now that Jasper’s not with us.”
Both Jasper and Niley suffered injuries from the attack. They rushed the pets to the vet, and only Niley survived. But she sustained bite marks and her owners say that she's lonely without Jasper's company.
“We don’t know how she’s going to react knowing that Jasper’s gone, but she was there while we euthanized him," Rosa said. "So she understands that he’s not here anymore.”
Rosa also said that Jasper was only 6 months old at the time of the attack.
“We weren’t prepared for this," Rosa said. "We are not prepared for the vet bill, the decision to euthanize our animal. It’s been very difficult for us and we want to make sure that this doesn’t happen to another family. Or a child. Or a person.”
Rosa also said that she has connected with other victims of similar attacks in the area, so these dogs continue to be a threat.
The family has filed a police report, but it remains unclear who the dogs' owner is or where they came from.
