A 3-year-old American Pit Bull Terrier was attacked by bears in the Big Cypress Indian Reservation in northwestern Broward County while protecting its owner's daughter, according to reports.
The female dog, named Mary Jane, is being treated in the intensive care unit at Lauderdale Veterinary Specialists in Fort Lauderdale, according to a news release.
Mary Jane's owner said she was visting her daughter Friday night when the dog was attacked by approximately three bears. Before the attack, the dog took off running toward the bears, presumably to protect the daughter.
The dog suffered deep puncture wounds over most of her body, doctors said. There's also concern about air in her chest cavity caused by her wounds and trauma.
"While we consider Mary Jane to be lucky and think her prognosis is good, we are still cautious about the air in her chest and the potential for the development of infection,” said Dr. Ashley Villatoro, a veterinarian at Lauderdale Veterinary Specialists.
Villatoro added that the attack "should be a lesson to all who live in South Florida that we have a presence of wildlife that can easily harm or injure a pet. Whether we’re talking bears, panthers, bobcats, alligators, venomous snakes, wild boars or bufo toads, we certainly have our share of deadly wildlife to continually be on the lookout for."
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