MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) — Neighbors in a Midway community say a growing pack of stray pit bulls has left many families feeling unsafe in their own neighborhood.
- Residents report being surrounded and even bitten by roaming pit bulls.
- A local rescue group says overcrowded shelters and limited resources are worsening the problem.
- Watch the video below to see how families are pushing for action.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Neighbors in one Gadsden County community say stray dogs are turning daily routines into safety risks. I’m Tatyana Purifoy in the Midway neighborhood, and I heard from residents who feel trapped in their own neighborhood.
Neighbors in a Midway community say a group of stray pit bulls has been roaming their streets for more than a year, leaving many of them feeling unsafe in their own neighborhood. One resident tells me his wife and daughter were too scared to get out of their car after the dogs surrounded them — and he says he himself was bitten while walking down the road.
William Rouse, a Midway neighbor, said, "As they were biting, their teeth were going straight through my shoe, and the only way I was able to get away from them I kind of kicked at them, but if they would've locked on my ankles, I don't know what I would have done, and I was terrified. I mean, can you imagine walking and listening to some music, and you see three pit bulls at your feet."
He says he's filed police reports and contacted animal control multiple times — but so far, nothing has changed. A local dog rescue nonprofit says the problem is bigger than just one pack of dogs… they tell me shelters are over capacity and don't have space because there aren't enough fosters to help make room.
Alicia Bopp, Founder of Champs Chance, said, "There is just literally no where for them. We get calls all day, every day, all over Gadsden County, all over everywhere, honestly, about the strays, and our animal control building is super small compared to a lot of others, and they just don't have the capacity to take them in or the resources."
Without more community support and more response from animal control, they worry the situation will only continue to grow — leaving families feeling unprotected and unsure when help will arrive. I reached out to Gadsden County's animal control office for comment, but have not heard back.
Families tell me they just want someone to take responsibility so they can feel safe in their own neighborhood again. In Midway, Tatyana Purifoy, ABC 27.
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