A 50-year-old woman tragically died after being attacked by two dogs while walking near her home in Cocoa, Florida.
Details of the Attack
Jodi Cowan was walking her small dog in the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 19, when the incident occurred, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) and local outlets including Fox 35 Orlando, WESH, and Florida Today.
Surveillance footage obtained by Fox 35 showed Cowan carrying her small dog as two larger mixed-breed dogs chased her onto the road. The video cuts off just before the attack.
Cowan sustained severe injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital, where she later died, the outlets reported.
Eyewitness Account
Cowan’s partner, Donnell Smith, witnessed the attack. He told WESH that he saw the dogs, which he said belonged to a neighbour, “dragging” her down the road shortly after 1 a.m.
“I saw the silhouette of the two dogs dragging my wife down the road, off into the grass in front of the truck down there,” Smith recalled.
He said he ran to her aid and found Cowan lying in a pool of blood with multiple dog bites on her body. When the dogs returned, he fended them off while trying to help her.
“I pulled my knife out, you know, just swinging it with one hand and holding the blood with the other, trying to stop her from bleeding,” Smith said. He then called 911.
Cowan was airlifted to a hospital but died from her injuries approximately two hours later. Smith described his late partner as a “great woman,” saying, “She just loved people, loved dogs more than people, and for her to go out that way, it’s not right.”
Investigation and Legal Process
The BCSO’s animal division is investigating the incident. As of May 21, no charges had been filed against the dogs’ owner.
Under Florida law, any dogs deemed dangerous are seized by animal control and typically quarantined for at least 10 business days during investigations. Owners of dogs that severely injure or kill someone can face criminal penalties ranging from a first-degree misdemeanor to a second-degree felony.
Community Impact and Awareness
The attack highlights the dangers of encounters with aggressive dogs, particularly when walking pets near residential areas. Authorities remind residents to maintain vigilance and report dangerous animals to local animal control offices.
