ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A bulldog died while in Orange County Animal Services custody and now the owner wants to know what happened.
According to a report from Orange County Animal Services, a 20-year-old woman said she was at Darryl Remson's unit at 55 West Apartments in Orlando on Sunday when Scoop, a 3-year-old black and white American bulldog, bit her left index finger as she reached down to pet him.
When the bite occurred, she was in the bathroom where Scoop usually stays when Remson is not home, records show.
The woman lost an acrylic nail and required stitches, according to Animal Services.
Remson said he spoke to the woman and she said the injuries were not severe.
"She reached for him while he was in his area in the morning and he nipped at her and she pulled it back, but she had a big, long acrylic nail so it pulled off the nail," Remson said.
On Monday, an officer from Orange County Animal Services met with Remson at about 6:30 p.m. to retrieve Scoop so the dog could be quarantined.
Remson said he was nervous about the whole process and hesitant to surrender his dog.
"I'm scared for my life for my dog," Remson said.
He said that, during an hour-long conversation, the Animal Control officer assured him that Scoop would be fine.
"I told her everything about my dog. I showed her pictures of the girl's finger because they had it noted that it ripped off her finger but it didn't. It ripped off her nail so the severity was already escalated," Remson said.
Remson carried Scoop down the stairs and placed him into an Animal Services truck.
"I watched my dog and I carried him to his death and I looked at him in the face and I told my dog, 'I'll see you tomorrow, bro. I'm sorry I can't do nothing. I can't do nothing about this bro,'" Remson said.
He told the officer that because Scoop is a bulldog, he experiences respiratory issues when he gets overheated.
According to an Orange County Animal Services spokesperson, Scoop was placed in a vehicle that is used during the evening that does not have air conditioning but does have ventilation in the animal housing area.
At about 8 p.m., while the vehicle was parked in a dog carport area, an Animal Control officer who noticed Scoop having a seizure called for help, records show.
The report said the dog was removed from the vehicle so staff members could perform chest compressions. Employees poured water on Scoop, opened his airway and attempted to revive him to no avail, documents said.
His tongue was blue, and he had no pulse, according to the report.
Although records show that Scoop was up-to-date on his rabies vaccine, he will still be screened for the disease and a necropsy will be performed.
Remson said officers came to his home and told him about Scoop's death but offered no excuse and provided no sympathy.
"There's no explanation. There's no explanation. I still don't have an explanation. My dog was perfectly fine," Remson said.
He said he doesn't know why his healthy dog would suddenly drop dead and the loss has left his world shattered. He said Scoop slept on his neck every day and shared every meal with him and now he's not sure how to cope without his best friend.
"My dog was the only person I had in Orlando. My dog was the only person I had in general. It's the only person I love," Remson said.
Orange County Animal Services said a necropsy will be performed to determine the dog's cause of death.
"The safety and well-being of every animal is top priority at Orange County Animal Services. Enforcement officers are instructed to immediately return to Animal Services if the pets they are transporting are showing any signs of medical distress," the agency said in a statement.
Remson said he wants a third party to perform the necropsy. He's also retained attorney Michael Grossman, who is reviewing city documentation on the incident.
"Based on the information I've been given by Darryl and by witnesses at the scene, we anticipate seeking damages from the city based on gross negligence," Grossman said.
Remson said nothing can bring his dog back but he still wants answers.
"I want justice for my dog. I want justice for my son," Remson said. "That's the only person I had. This is my emotional support. This is my best friend."