A 1-year-old boy was seriously injured after the family’s American bulldog lunged at him during a diaper change inside a Hallandale Beach home Friday afternoon, police said, sending the child to the hospital and prompting an animal-control investigation.
The attack, reported in a quiet residential block in Broward County, quickly drew attention because it involved a dog the family said had not shown aggression before. Police said the boy was airlifted for treatment after the mother pulled him away during a struggle in which she was also bitten. Authorities said the dog was removed from the home and later euthanized at the owner’s request. Officials had not released the child’s name, the mother’s name, or specific details on the boy’s injuries, but local reports said he was in stable condition.
Hallandale Beach police said the attack happened in the 400 block of Southeast Ninth Court as the boy’s mother was changing his diaper. The family told officers that the dog, described as a 6-year-old American bulldog, was inside the home and suddenly turned on the child. The father, who did not want to be identified, said the mother looked away for a brief moment and then heard growling before the dog lunged. “It was so fast,” he said in an interview, describing a scene that shifted from routine care to panic in seconds.
Police said the mother fought to free her child and was bitten during the struggle. In the immediate aftermath, the boy was taken for emergency care and then transported by helicopter to a children’s hospital, authorities said. Television footage from the scene showed medics moving a small patient on a stretcher from a helipad into a hospital entrance as the mother ran close behind. Police initially said they did not know the full extent of the boy’s injuries, but by Saturday they said he was recovering and in stable condition. The mother’s injuries were not described in detail, and police did not say whether she required hospital care.
Officers said a family member secured the dog after the attack and asked police for help removing it from the home. A Broward County Animal Care and Control vehicle later arrived, and the dog was placed inside and taken away. The agency classified the call as an urgent response and opened an investigation into what happened, according to local reports. On Saturday afternoon, an animal care spokesperson confirmed the dog was humanely euthanized at the owner’s request. Authorities did not say whether the dog would have been held for observation or evaluation if the owner had made a different decision.
The boy’s father told reporters the dog had been part of the household and had never acted aggressively before. He said the attack left the family stunned and grieving for the child while also facing what would happen to the dog. A local news crew at the scene recorded the father speaking softly as the animal-control van prepared to leave, telling the dog, “Love ya, buddy,” while officers stood nearby. Police did not describe prior complaints about the animal, and they did not say whether the dog had been involved in previous bites. Investigators also did not say what, if anything, might have triggered the lunge.
Neighbors said they were shaken by the scene and the sudden violence. Roy Green, who lives nearby, said he had seen the family and the dog before and never noticed anything that suggested danger. “Somebody having a baby that young, I know how they feel,” Green said. He said he watched the father collapse onto the ground in tears after the child was taken away. Other neighbors described the area as typically quiet, with families and pets common along the street. Police did not report any wider threat to the neighborhood and said the incident appeared confined to the home.
Florida law allows local agencies to investigate serious dog attacks, and animal control can document bites and determine whether a dog meets standards for being labeled dangerous under county or state rules. In this case, animal control’s investigation continued even after the dog was euthanized, a step that can include collecting statements, reviewing medical information, and confirming vaccination history and ownership records. Hallandale Beach police said they were working with animal control to complete the case file. Authorities did not announce any criminal charges or citations related to the attack, and they did not say whether any further action was expected once the investigation is finished.
By Sunday, police said the child remained under medical care, and the investigation was still open as officials compiled reports and reviewed the family’s statements. The next milestone is an expected update from Hallandale Beach police or Broward County Animal Care and Control on the child’s condition and the findings on how the attack unfolded.
Author note: Last updated February 22, 2026.