Yorkshire terrier survives shark attack because it ‘didn’t like the taste’

Maddie, a 9-year-old Yorkshire terrier, sustained severe injuries near the dock in St Augustine.

A Yorkshire terrier is believed to have survived a shark attack because it failed to live up to the predator’s tastes.

Maddie, a 9-year-old Yorkie, was aboard its owner’s boat off Florida’s northeast coast when it lost balance and fell.

After briefly disappearing, the dog resurfaced with multiple bite wounds, a broken pelvis and severe bruising.

The accident happened while Bill and Terri Hoge were returning to the dock in St Augustine after an afternoon of sailing.

In a scene reminiscent of the film The Meg – where a shark homes in on a hapless Yorkshire terrier – Maddie was spotted floundering in the water.

The incident is reminiscent of a scene from the film The Meg.

“We turned the boat around. We were looking for her and then she popped up and was swimming… As we approached her and pulled up next to her, she disappeared,” Hoge told local outlet News 4 Jax.

Hoge added: “It seemed like an eternity, but it was like 10 seconds that she was under, and, of course, I’m freaking out. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ll never see her again’.”

After Maddie resurfaced, Hodge dived into the water to save his pet.

When they pulled the dog out they noticed it was bleeding heavily and rushed the animal to a nearby emergency veterinary clinic to treat it.

“The vet found six deep puncture wounds in one thigh, heavy bruising on the other, and a pelvis broken in three places,” Hoge said.

The couple initially thought she had been hit by the boat’s propeller. However, the vet concluded that the dog’s injuries were far more consistent with a shark attack.

“The vet told us she called her colleagues around the country to get some information on what this could be and they all said it was a shark,” Hoge said.

The group of veterinary experts suspect the shark shook Maddie as it dragged the dog beneath the surface while biting down on its rear, which broke its pelvis in three places.

If it had been a boat propeller, it would have likely sliced the 5.5kg dog in half, they said.

The family believes the shark let go of the dog because of its unfamiliar, furry taste. And, they said, because she put up a good fight.

Hoge has suggested it was a bull or lemon shark, but that it was probably not fully grown, given that Maddie pulled off a miraculous escape.

Bull sharks are known to be aggressive and can grow up to 3.6m, while lemon sharks average between 2.4-3m. Both species are frequently sighted in the area.

“It’s incredible that she was able to resurface and keep her head above water after the attack,” Hoge told Fox News.

Maddie is now recovering at home, but is still in severe pain, he added.

The incident has prompted concern about the risk of sharks lurking in harbours, as local authorities have asked pet owners to remain vigilant near waterways.