HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A Hollywood family is mourning the loss of its longtime emotional support dog after their pet was mauled by another dog last week.
The Kunde family said an American bulldog got loose from a neighbor's home and attacked Fletcher, a 14-year-old terrier mix, around noon Thursday in the family's yard in the 1500 block of Fletcher Street.
Randa Kunde said Fletcher's injuries were so severe, he had to be euthanized.
"Because there were over 20 bites and puncture wounds to his neck, he couldn't survive," Randa Kunde said. "He was a little dog. He was 22 pounds."
Fletcher was more than a pet to the Kunde family. Terry Kunde, a Vietnam veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, relied on Fletcher for emotional support.
"You know that dog was my partner," Terry Kunde said. "You know I have been to Vietnam and had a lot of trauma in my life and that dog gave me comfort."