A 9-year-old in Englewood needed an emergency airlift to Tampa General Hospital on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, after a brutal dog attack at the Suncoast Humane Society. The Englewood Area Fire Control District responded to the call along with Charlotte County deputies, Fire & EMS Rescue 13, and the Aeromed 5 medical helicopter. The girl suffered injuries to her face and leg.
To speed things up, first responders quickly cleared a landing spot so Aeromed could fly the child out. While the crew handled medical care, Captain Jacobs took a moment with the child’s mother, leading a prayer and offering some comfort in the middle of all the chaos. The fire district later shared, “Moments like these remind us just how much compassion and teamwork matter.”
Suncoast Humane Society released a statement on Thursday, April 9, 2026:
“There was an incident midday yesterday when a small child was bitten by a dog on the Suncoast Humane Society campus.
The child was with her mother and another child meeting a dog when the incident occurred.
The safety and well-being of both the people and animals in our care are our highest priorities, and we take this matter very seriously.
Our team responded immediately, providing care to the child and promptly contacting emergency services to ensure they received the necessary medical attention. We are grateful for the swift actions of our staff and first responders.
Our thoughts are with the child and their family during this time, and we are wishing her a full and speedy recovery.
We appreciate the community’s concern and support as we continue to review this incident and uphold our commitment to safety, compassion, and responsible care.”
