They killed her dog and left her scarred. Police investigate daylight attack

The daylight dog attack on a Pasco woman and her dog has left her worried about neighborhood kids.

Vera Nenadic was on her normal late afternoon walk with her Pomeranian, Bozo, on a leash. They were strolling through their usually quiet west Pasco neighborhood near Broadmoor Boulevard.

She didn’t hear the two large dogs race up behind her as she walked down John Deere Lane near Liberty Park.

They went straight for Bozo, snapping him up.

Nenadic fought tears as she explained how she pulled on her dog’s leash trying to free him. The attacking animals weighed 70 to 90 pounds, and they didn’t let go.

“They started playing with him like he was a toy,” she said. “I fell on my knees trying to save him. I yelled and screamed, but nobody came and nobody helped.”

They also were biting her.

Then, the dogs disappeared as quickly as they’d arrived, dropping her beloved pet.

She rushed Bozo to a Pasco animal emergency center, but his injuries were too severe. By morning, she and her husband, Davor, agreed he needed to be put out of his pain.

Doctors at Kadlec Regional Medical Center also treated her injuries, which would force her to miss work for two days.

And since the dogs disappeared, she also must undergo a series of rabies shots.

Looking for answers

Pasco police have been kind, she said, but they have yet to find the dogs that attacked at 5:30 p.m. last Monday.

Sgt. Scott Warren said neighborhood searches haven’t turned up the dogs.

While Nenadic said the dogs are big, she doesn’t know their breed or where they came from.

Now, she’s worried about the children who play in the park and live in the neighborhood.

“My concern is about the safety of this area and community because lots of kids walk to school. And I don’t want anybody to be in this situation like I was, fighting for my life and the life of my dog,” she said.

Dogs aren’t allowed to run loose under Pasco city codes, and the fines can range from $50 to $2,000 depending on the number of violations and if the dog is deemed potentially dangerous.

“I have nothing against those dogs. They were just defending their territory,” said Nenadic’s husband, Davor. “I am going to go after those owners. You cannot let your dog run around without a leash.”

Pasco police are still looking for help finding the dogs and their owners, said Warren.

Anyone with information can contact the Pasco Police Department at 509-628-0333.