Lee County Domestic Animal Services is investigating after a pit bull killed a chihuahua at a vaccination event in North Fort Myers.
Tara Bray brought her teacup chihuahua, Baby Oreo, to the Pet Shot Express pop-up vaccination clinic in the North Fort Myers Walmart parking lot on Saturday.
“I was at the counter, registering. I had just given the woman my credit card when I heard a noise — it was my dog screaming. I looked over and saw a pit bull with my dog in its mouth. I tried to pull my dog out, but the pit bull wouldn’t let go. My dog was yelling and screaming," Bray said. "The pit bull’s owner came over and started punching his dog in the head repeatedly. The veterinarian and a couple of other people tried to pry the dog’s mouth open, but they couldn’t. The pit bull just tore my dog to shreds. Then the man took his dog, got in a truck, and drove away.”
Bray said the pit bull would not release Baby Oreo until he was dead, and the owner left the scene without saying a word.
“He never tried to make anything right. He couldn’t even look me in the eye and say sorry,” Bray said.
Through tears, Bray added, “My dog trusted me to keep him safe, and I couldn’t do it. I had to watch him be slaughtered — unnecessarily slaughtered. I’ll always live with that, hearing his cries. Then the man just walked away. I don’t know what kind of human could do that.”
Witnesses said the pit bull’s owner lost control of the dog while waiting in line. According to Jonathan Wilfredo, who was also waiting with his pet, the leash appeared makeshift and broke, leading to the immediate attack.
“A random guy pulled in with a pit bull on a string. The string broke, and the dog immediately attacked a smaller dog. The vet, the assistant, the owner, and I all tried to open the pit’s mouth, but we couldn’t. The owner started punching the pit bull in the face. After a couple of minutes, the pit finally let go, but the chihuahua was already dead. Then the guy just fled the scene,” Wilfredo said.
“I don’t think it’s right to just walk away after something like that,” Castellanos added. “It’s definitely not the dog’s fault, but someone has to be held responsible. This isn’t fair.”
Bray and her family are now calling for changes — not only accountability for the pit bull’s owner, but also improved safety measures at public vaccination events.
“I just want justice for my dog,” she continued. “Something needs to change about the way these events are run. It was too dangerous. It could have been a child. The laws need to change. People who don’t take care of their animals or accept responsibility for them shouldn’t be allowed to own pets. He clearly can’t be responsible and has no compassion.”
To Bray, Baby Oreo was more than a pet — he was her lifeline, the companion who helped her cope with the loss of both her husband and son.
“He was my life. He was my best friend,” she said.
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