A 4-year-old boy in Jacksonville, Florida, is recovering after a sudden dog attack left him seriously injured and ultimately cost him an ear.
According to an incident report filed by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Tracy Moore and her young son, Roland Moore, were standing outside on Nov. 20 when two dogs approached them. The animals initially appeared friendly, and the mother and child began petting them.
Moments later, the dogs unexpectedly turned aggressive. One of the animals bit Roland’s left ear, causing severe injuries. A responding officer noted in the report that the child’s ear was “hanging from the side of his head” when authorities arrived at the scene.
While attempting to shield her son, Tracy was also attacked and suffered minor bite wounds. Investigators wrote that a brown dog was responsible for biting both the child and his mother during the incident.
A witness later told police she saw the dogs flee into a nearby yard following the attack. Officers said they were unable to identify the owner of the animals at the time.
In a GoFundMe campaign, Tracy explained that she and her son had been waiting for the school bus when the attack occurred. She said Roland spent a week hospitalized, but doctors ultimately made the difficult decision to amputate his ear due to the extent of the injuries.
“It was heartbreaking to see Roland in so much pain, terrified and facing the possibility of losing a part of himself,” she wrote. Tracy also stated that the dogs involved have since been euthanized.
The family is now seeking financial assistance to help cover mounting medical bills and legal expenses related to the incident. Authorities have reached out to local animal control officials for further information, but no additional details were immediately available.
