Dog Dies from Dog Attack in Hardberger Park

A dog named Maggie died Saturday at Phil Hardberger Park after another dog unexpectedly bit her head and shook her, breaking her neck and killing her instantly, according to Maggie's owner.

Shelby Mauldin told KENS5 that she and her husband had brought Maggie, a 6-year-old labradoodle, and their golden retriever, to play in the dog park on September 23.

A man and his two dogs approached Mauldin’s dogs, and before she knew it, one of the man’s dogs went straight to Maggie, Mauldin told KENS5. After the attack, the unidentified dog owner leashed up both of his dogs and left the park, without time for Mauldin to get his information.

The park’s website says pet owners are expected to stay with their dogs while they’re in the dog parks, and to “take control of their pets, should excitement levels get out of hand.” A sign at the park says “Owners are legally responsible for their dogs and any injuries caused by dogs will be the responsibility of the owner,” and that “Dogs showing aggression towards people or other animals will be removed from the park.”

It's unclear how these rules are being enforced.

Judging by online reviews, these kind of attacks are incredibly rare in Hardberger Park. Of the 137 Yelp reviews of the park, only one reviewer claimed her dog had been attacked by another dog back in 2013 — everyone else seemed to have mostly good experiences at the dog parks.

This news comes less than a month after a 27-year-old woman was raped while jogging through Hardberger Park. The woman was pulled behind a bush and sexually assaulted by a male, who authorities have not yet identified.