JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Multiple residents at two Arlington apartment complexes have reached their boiling point with a pack of dogs they said have been terrorizing them and their pets.
The residents at the Oak Hammock Apartment complex and the Oakwood Villa complex on Acme Street near Kona Avenue believe the dogs come from a nearby home.
Surveillance video captured the pack of loose dogs attacking several cats and kittens that belong to Karen Harrell and live on her front patio inside the Oakwood Villa complex.
Harrell said she grabbed a stick to defend her pets and keep the dogs away from the patio. Then, you can hear her say: “Bring me my [expletive] gun.”
On another night, the same pack of dogs returned to her patio and attacked another one of her cats.
“Since Feb. 25, we’ve had seven of our family killed and I refer to them as family. I might get a little bit emotional because these cats have been here at this apartment where we’ve lived since 2020,” Harrell said.
The latest attack was earlier this week. A cat named Socks did not survive.
“One dog had the head of the cat in his mouth and the other two were tugging on the end,” Harrell said.
Now Harrell only has two cats left with one missing fur on the back of its neck because of an attack.
Harrell said every night she creates a barrier with cinderblocks to keep the dogs out and keep her cats safe. The cats, however, aren’t the only ones being terrorized.
“The children will be at the park and the kids will come running here saying the dogs are coming. Tenants have to keep their children inside and they don’t feel safe coming out onto this property,” Harrell said.
Across the street at the Oak Hammock Apartment complex, neighbors have similar complaints about the same pack of dogs.
“They’re attacking people and they need to do something with the dogs. It’s causing problems around here,” one man told News4JAX.
Tangela Jackson said the dogs bit a child and a man.
“It is very concerning because our kids play out here every day,” Jackson said.
Another man said the dogs chased him.
“I was walking outside to get something from my car and once I got to my car, I saw a dog. I turned around and started running. I came back because my doors were open, so I jumped on top of the car,” he said.
Animal control was made aware of the problem, but it’s unclear what’s being done to prevent further attacks.
News4JAX reached out to animal control but did not immediately hear back.