DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) - An alarming attack took place at a Davie veterinary clinic after someone was caught on camera shooting and killing a dog inside a kennel.
Surveillance video shows the shooting that took place at Aycock Veterinary Clinic along the 5400 block of Stirling Road, at around 6 a.m. on Friday.
“[The gunman fired] a total of seven shots and just walked out, like nothing happened,” said Daniel Perez, the dog’s owner.
Matilda the dog was killed inside of a locked kennel.
Perez said Matilda was the only dog here during the shooting. He believes this to be a random crime.
“Because he was kicking the fence, she started barking,” said Perez.
The canine was inside one of the kennels, which are accessible to anyone who walks through a parking lot just off of Stirling Road.
“Everyone was just devastated, just to know what happened,” said Antonella Velez with Aycock Veterinary Clinic.
Security footage shows the unknown shooter first taking videos and photos. He then noticed the cameras and covered his head with his hood before shooting the animal and eventually running off.
For years, Matilda would be dropped off at the clinic by her owner, who would then go to work.
“A mix of a Lab and a pointer,” said Perez.
Perez is an emergency medical technician for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and an active U.S. Army Reserves master sergeant.
To Perez, Matilda wasn’t just a best friend and loyal companion, but a therapy dog, even though she was never formally trained.
“She knew when I was down, she knew when I was depressed,” said Perez.
Perez said he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from what he’s experienced in combat on tours in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. He said Matilda did what his Veterans Affairs doctors could not.
“She would push me, force me to pet her, and by petting her, I’ll be relaxed,” he said.
“We don’t know why he did it. We don’t know the reason behind it,” said Velez. “We just want to get to the bottom of it and catch this criminal.”
Davie officers are investigating, while Perez remains in mourning.
“He’s gonna do it again,” said Perez. “He might as well did it before, because he looks like he did something like this before. He knew what he was doing.”
The shooting remains under investigation. Police have issued a “Be on the Lookout” for the gunman.
Anyone with any information is urged to call the Davie Police Department or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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