You may have heard the horrendous story in 2009 about five-year-old Frankie Flora, who was mauled by a pit bull while visiting relatives in Wappingers Falls.
For 20 minutes, the Poughkeepsie youth endured over 100 lacerations requiring 1000 stitches to his face and scalp. His recovery at the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center was, according to his mother Maria, nothing short of miraculous. He's already endured 25 surgeries, with more healing and rehabilitation to come. Now after years of rehabilitation, Maria and Frankie want to make sure that if something awful like this happens to someone else, there is more culpability.
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Frankie and his mom are pushing Albany to pass the "one bite rule" with the help of Senator Neil Breslin. According to existing NYS laws, dog owners are not required to provide any compensation to a victim for that first dog bite. However, Maria and Frankie believe the law should require dog owners to be automatically liable the first time, and they've begun a crusade to change it. Senator Breslin is proposing the "Frankie Flora Bill," which would make dog owners responsible for medical expenses.
In a CBS News report, Maria says, "We need to have a law like this so if you purchase a dog, you need to be responsible for that dog, which in turn teaches people....you know, put the dog on a leash, lock the dog up, be careful where that dog came from." The bill, Maria says, "is moving forward. It won't pass this term, but we are very hopeful for next."
“We’re trying to help any kid or anybody for that matter [to get help from] that law,” says Frankie.
(Frankie now)
To support the proposed amendment S.1191 contact:
Senator Breslin 172 State Street, Room 413 Albany.
Phone: 518-455-2225 or email him at breslin@senate.state.ny.us
For information and to support
Frankie Flora contact:
Maria Flora 845-223-9877 or maria@mariaflora.net