CORRECTION: This story initially said that there were no consequences for two dogs involved in an attack on Nov. 3, 2022, because they did not have a prior history of aggression. In reality, Seminole County officials say the animals' owner was cited four times before the attack, and both dogs were declared "aggressive" under the county's aggressive dog ordinance following the November incident.

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — In light of the tragic death of 8-year-old Michael Millett on Jan. 13 in Volusia County, some people have come forward to talk about their own experiences with aggressive dogs.

What You Need To Know

  • Investigators say 8-year-old Michael Millett was attacked by two dogs and killed on Jan. 13 

  • Nancy Cerniglia was hospitalized and her dog Lucy was killed after they were violently attacked by two dogs on Nov. 3rd, 2022

  • Cerniglia said she felt compelled to talk about her story after hearing about Millett's death

  • Cerniglia says she’s hoping to start lobbying with lawmakers in Tallahassee for local and state laws regarding safety against violent dogs

Nancy Cerniglia said she can’t help but get emotional after reliving one of the darkest days of her life: Nov. 3, 2022.

On that day, she says she left her home for a walk with Lucy, her Jack Russel terrier mix, for the last time as they ran into two aggressive dogs.

“We walked up ... and she (Lucy) was on her leash totally in no way provoking them and they were maliciously barking,” said Cerniglia.

Cerniglia said she tried to walk toward the back of her home to avoid a conflict when her neighbor’s gate opened up and the dogs sprinted right at them.

“They got me — I went down and then they got (Lucy). And once they got her, they just massacred her,” Cerniglia said. “And it was terrible. I mean, I tried to lay on her.”

Cerniglia said Lucy died from her injuries and she herself was hospitalized. The attack left Cerniglia with deep scars on her hands.

“I thought I was going to die," she said. "I thought they were going to get me and that was going to be it."

For the last two years, Cerniglia said she has not been able to talk about the incident. But after she saw that 8-year-old Michael Millett was mauled in a similar fashion, she decided to speak up.

“When this happened my thought process was, ‘Oh my god, what if this was my grandson?’” Cerniglia said. “And when this happened to Michael, I just said this was my worst nightmare.”

While Cerniglia said her case was closed because Seminole County has a “one bite rule,” and she believed her incident was the offending dogs’ first offenses, county officials say that is not the case.

According to a statement from Seminole County public information officer Andy Wontor, the owner of the dogs had been cited four times — two each for an animal being at large/off leash, and injury or damage to a person/property.

After the incident with Cerniglia, the dogs were both declared "aggressive," and the dogs' owner was given two more citations in February 2023 for not complying with the rules of the county's aggressive dog ordinance.

According to Wontor's statement, the dogs' owner told county officials the next month that the animals had been re-homed in Orange County. Orange County Animal Services was subsequently notified of the animals' change of address, the statement said.

Regardless, Cerniglia said she wants to be an advocate for not only herself and Lucy, but for Millett as well.

Cerniglia said she’s making it her goal to ensure there are laws in place to help keep people safe from violent dogs and negligent dog owners.

She says she’s hoping to start lobbying with lawmakers in Tallahassee for local and state laws regarding dog safety to be put in place.

Volusia County officials say the dogs will be euthanized unless their owner appeals before Friday.