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Pit Bull-Mix Chases Horse to Death in Cody, Wyoming

Dog Owner "Watches"
Cody, WY - A Cody man was recently found guilty of keeping a vicious animal after his pit bull-mix chased two horses in their corral, one of which bolted so hard it ran into a fence post killing itself. It is important to point out that a single dog, a pit bull-mix, attacked these two horses on its own. As mentioned in our report (Dog Attacks on Livestock and Horses January - May 2008), a single pit bull is as lethal to a horse as a pack of dogs.

Municipal Court Judge Ed Webster ruled that the dog named Doobie met the definition of a vicious animal, and he ordered owner Raymond Goodman, 20, to euthanize the dog. Judge Webster said, "In my years, this is the clearest case I've had come before me of someone harboring a vicious animal." Webster fined Goodman $750 plus $10 court costs for keeping a vicious animal, plus an additional $100 for having a dog at large.

Witnesses called by City Attorney Scott Kolpitcke described a gruesome scene on January 20, with the dog chasing both horses but focusing on Grayling, the 10-year-old horse that died. "It disturbed me pretty good to see a dog run a horse to death," said Flint Selby, a carpenter. Selby said he and a fellow worker heard a commotion and went to investigate when they saw Doobie chasing Grayling "kind of like a coyote running down a deer."

Selby said he yelled, tossed rocks at the dog and eventually tried to get between the dog and horse, but was unable to deter Doobie, adding that the dog latched onto Grayling's legs and bit the horse several times. He said, when the horse was down, the dog began biting at its neck and belly. "I grabbed a brick and slammed it onto his head," Selby said. But the dog was unfazed, and only moved to a different spot and resumed biting the horse.

It was only after Selby drew a knife to defend himself and stop the dog that the pit bull owner intervened.

Nick Randol, a contractor whose shop is located neaby, said that Goodman had been standing at the edge of the pasture near the 2200 block of East Sheridan Avenue but seemed unconcerned about the horse and did not attempt to stop the dog. Goodman said that he had tried earlier to catch the dog but was out of breath and feared being trampled by the horses. Goodman also told the judge, "I did not see the dog bite the horses."

Webster ordered Goodman to pay Raynolds $2,103.45 in restitution to cover the value of the horse, veterinary bills and disposal of the carcass.

In other news:

Pit Bulls Kill Two Ponies at Educational Farm
Dayton, OH - Employees of Learning Tree Farm said two pit bulls surrounded a group of Shetland ponies in a field last week. Witnesses said the pit bulls cornered two of the ponies and fatally wounded them by biting at their neck and groin areas. A third pony, named Goldie, was seriously wounded. Patricia Rau said, "I can't imagine the terror they felt, knowing they can't protect themselves." People feel this same horror when being attacked by a pit bull.

Horse Falls, Crushes and Kills Attacking Pit Bull
Riverside County, CA - In a case that involved at least 2 injured animals and an injured rider, a horse fell and crushed a pit bull. As the pit bull chased and bit the horse, the horse bucked its rider, bolted into traffic and was struck by an SUV. The horse then fell on the dog killing it. John Welsh, spokesman for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, said the horse suffered bruises and scratches. No information was provided about the rider.

Related articles:
02/17/09: Woman Kicked in Face by Horse After Pit Bull Attacks
11/02/08: School's Pet Pony Attacked and Killed by Vicious Dogs

See all: Horse Attacks by Pit Bulls