FLORIDA -- The 27-year-old woman who was attacked by a pack of dogs as she walked with her young daughter is back in the hospital with complications from the injuries she suffered.
"I'm getting blood work done," Brandi Bookamer said by phone Sunday from a hospital room at Florida Hospital Flagler before hanging up. "I've already been mauled by five dogs. I don't want to talk to you.
Bookamer and her 6-year-old daughter were walking at the intersection of Mahogany Boulevard and Holly Lane, near the Hidden Trails Community Center in the Daytona North community, when five dogs came up on them shortly after 8 p.m. May 5 and started to attack her
Diane Voigt, board president of the Flagler Humane Society, said it's difficult to imagine what she must be going through.
"She must have been so scared," Voigt said. "This is just terrible for her."
Five pit bull-mixed breeds that live at home of James "Donny" Hays at 6217 Mahogany Blvd., near where Bookamer was attacked, were picked up by animal control and remain caged at Flagler Humane, Voigt said.
"We are still trying to figure out if they are the dogs, because there are some inconsistencies with the description of the dogs that attacked her," Voigt said. "If the dogs we have are not the dogs that attacked her, it means the ones that did are still out there. It would be a shame to euthanize the wrong dogs."
Once officials determine they have the dogs responsible for the attack, they will be humanely euthanized, Voigt said.
"We regularly get calls about loose dogs in the area," Voigt said. "Mr. Hayes, himself, called the other day about three pit bulls in his yard that he didn't know."
If his dogs are indeed the ones that mauled Bookamer, the one thing that is not a concern is rabies.
"His dogs were (recently) spayed, neutered and vaccinated through the program we are offering for pit bulls (and mixes)," Voigt said. "We actually went and picked up those dogs to get that done, so we know they are up to date."
Voigt doesn't have much in the way of advice to offer residents of Daytona North to protect themselves from a pack of dogs.
"There is no magic solution for what to do," she said. "She lied down, and her daughter ran to safety. There is no reason to think she did anything to provoke those dogs. If they will attack her that way, they will attack anyone or another dog."
Outside dogs should be well contained, Voigt said, for their own safety and for the safety of the community.
"If you cannot control your dog, call us," she said. "We will come and get the dog, and take it out of the community. I am the last person to want to euthanize an animal, but it's far too dangerous to have dogs like these running loose."
There is ample grant money available to spay, neuter, vaccinate and microchip pit bulls and pit bull mixes, Voigt said of grant money applied for by Flagler County on behalf of Flagler Humane through PetSmart Charities.
"We picked up Mr. Hays' dogs," Voigt said. "If you don't have a way to get your dogs to us, we'll figure out a way to bring them in."
For more information, call the Flagler Humane Society at 386-445-1188.
(Daytona Beach News-Journal - May 12, 2013)
