Palm Harbor Walmart dog fight injures 3 employees, 2 others: PCSO

Dog fight in Palm Harbor Walmart leaves 5 injured

Five people suffered minor injuries following a dog fight at the Palm Harbor Walmart on Tuesday, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. FOX 13's Blake DeVine reports.

PALM HARBOR, Fla. - Five people suffered minor injuries following a dog fight at the Palm Harbor Walmart on Tuesday, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

What we know:

The incident occurred shortly after 12:45 p.m. at the Walmart located at 35404 US 19 North.

Deputies said they were called to the retail store to investigate a report of two dogs fighting inside.

According to PCSO, three employees and the two dog owners sustained minor injuries.

One person was taken to the hospital for high blood pressure, according to investigators.

Deputies were told that the dog fight involved a terrier mix and a Chihuahua mix, but Animal Control is working to confirm those details. 

The two dogs were not service animals, according to PCSO. Both dogs returned home with their owners.

While no charges were filed, deputies say both dog owners were trespassed from the Palm Harbor Walmart.

What they're saying:

Tyler Segal was also shopping at the Walmart, surprised to hear what had happened.

"Can’t bring your Chihuahua that isn’t trained," Segal said. "It could be a good dog, but things happen all the time."

Ann Danner is a professional dog trainer who runs Dogmatics LLC. She described the indoor environments of grocery stores or shopping centers as potential power kegs for pets.

"It's not their natural habitat. So, there are things that are unfamiliar to them," Danner said. "Anxiety and stress can be high, which can get dogs into a bottleneck situation."

Walmart Spokesperson Kelly Hellbusch issued the following statement:

"The safety of our associates and customers is a top priority. We only invite service animals defined by ADA guidelines to shop with us at Walmart."

What we don't know:

The conditions of the two dogs involved in the fight have not been revealed.

It is also unclear what caused the fight.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.