(PENSACOLA) --- Imagine being attacked by a dog, leaving you with lifelong injuries, then having to live with the dog on the other side of the fence for a week.
That is Theresa Cavnar's story.
This is the fifth report on Cavnar, which includes graphic photos, ignored emails to elected officials and local news outlets, and dozens of social media comments. Collectively, the reports are now at 15K views. As a matter of fact, the Pensacola News Journal decided to pick up the story, which she had to tell them twice because of a lost recording, and it still hasn’t been published.
“Mollyee Barrows from the Pensacola News Journal called and has interviewed me a couple of times about what's going on,” Canvar said today. “I contacted her yesterday to see if the news story had run, and I just missed it, and um, it hasn't run yet, so she's unsure of when it will actually run.”
Though I try, there really are no words to express how sad it really is that when you are attacked by an animal in your city, you are ignored when you plead for help, specifically to see laws changed. Sad but true is Cavnar’s life right now as she attempts to care for clients using only one arm, nearly impossible for the occupational therapist.
“I've been in a lot of pain,” Cavnar said today. “My left arm, I'm not able to use, and I have like these areas that are popped out, from where they did the stitches.”
She goes on.
“There's about a quarter-sized area that it popped out, and I can feel my pulse in that area, and it just hurts me like all day, every day,” Cavnar said. “I'm still having leg pains from where I landed on my knee so hard.”
Cavnar found out through a Nextdoor comment that her case was closed.
(Photo: Nextdoor Post Comment from informing Theresa Cavnar's case was closed by a concerned citizen)
“I was shocked,” Cavnar said. “I was absolutely shocked.”
Cavnar immediately called John Robinson, Escambia County Animal Welfare Director.
“At first, I wasn't sure if the dog was still going to be behind my house because there was no documentation in the court records whether the dog was gonna be still in our neighborhood and a danger to the kids and children in our neighborhood," Cavnar said. “I wanted to make sure that everyone else is safe, too.”
She added Robinson said the owners "must have had a fine to pay related to the situation, according to the county laws broken."
“He did verify that the dog was not returned to the home and that everyone should be safe now, from that particular animal,” Cavnar said.
Speaking of other dangerous animals, Tom Caulkins reported two roaming pit bulls in a Pensacola neighborhood, noting animal control was of no assistance. Cavnar saw the post last week and immediately feared someone could be attacked.
Teri Bozeman, a dog attack victim who came forward after seeing Cavnar’s in the press, has had her case closed for more than two years, left with $60,000 in medical bills she is left paying.
Both Bozeman and Cavnar hope to see the laws changed and ultimately have officials respond when public safety in their district is a concern, as they have expressed in the reports below.
Dog Mauls Woman, Escambia County Animal Control Pawns Paperwork off on Her
Escambia County Commissioner's Office Ignores Questions in Dog Attack
Second Dog Attack Victim Comes Forward
Pit Bulls Run Wild While Officials Ignore Dog Attack Victims
Due to the lack of concern by officials and local news, with permission from my publisher, I began a GoFundMe for Cavnar so she can pay some of her 20K emergency room bill from the attack.
As seen in all reports, while officials ignore Cavnar, many in the community have not, as noted in the prior reports. I thought a GoFundMe gesture could continue to encourage her along the way.
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