Bizarre dog-related story of the day

[ferky1]

A dog, a horse, an owner and a cop sounds like the start of a funny story; it must have been quite a sight, but certainly not funny. Sorry to those pit owners out there looking for good press:

Pit bull attacks S.F. police horse Cop, dog, pet owner hurt in Golden Gate Park

[url]http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/11/24/BAGLV39DJD1.DTL[/url]

A pit bull was shot, a cop and a dog walker were rushed to the hospital, and a police horse named "AAA Andy" was badly hurt but alive -- all this after a chance encounter between two animals on a crisp Sunday at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.

The chaos started at 12:50 p.m. as a young woman walked her black pit bull through the park near the Conservatory of Flowers. According to San Francisco police, she made an illegal and costly decision: She let the dog off its leash.

Witnessing the move was police Sgt. David Herrera of the department's mounted unit. He shouted at the woman, ordering her to re-leash her canine, said Sgt. Neville Gittens, a department spokesman.

That's when the dog turned its attention to Herrera's steed.

The pit bull charged AAA Andy, ripping at the horse's flesh on its back legs and its rib cage, Gittens said. The dog's owner, whose name was not released, tried to intervene. That's when things got really bad.

With the dog snapping away, AAA Andy threw Herrera to the ground. At about the same time, the dog's owner attempted to pull her pet away from the horse. But when she got close, AAA Andy kicked her in the face with a hind leg, Gittens said.

She went down, joining Herrera.

"Then the horse takes off running," Gittens said.

AAA Andy galloped through the park along John F. Kennedy Drive, with the pit bull close behind.

About a half-mile away, near the Eighth Avenue/Fulton Street entrance to the park, another police sergeant got involved. Sgt. Peter Dacre of San Francisco's Richmond Station had heard Herrera's radio calls for help.

Seeing a park gardener and another citizen approaching the riderless AAA Andy, the uniformed Dacre climbed out of his car to help settle down the jumpy horse.

"Then somebody shouted, 'That buggering dog is coming back!' " Dacre said.

"The dog started having another go at the horse. I was between the horse and the dog, and I tried to kick (the dog)."

It was no use. Dacre said he unholstered his .40-calibre semiautomatic Beretta pistol and ended the attack with two shots -- one of which struck the pit bull and sent it scurrying into nearby bushes.

Both Herrera and the dog owner were rushed to St. Mary's Medical Center. Herrera went home in a few hours with back and neck injuries. The woman was treated for head injuries and a broken finger, Gittens said.

Meanwhile, the dog survived the bullet wound and was picked up by Animal Care and Control. Its condition was unknown Sunday night.

AAA Andy was being treated for puncture wounds late Sunday at the police stables in Golden Gate Park.

Herrera, reached at home Sunday night, declined comment.

Police will review the dog's history to see if it has ever been involved in other attacks. Then police will decide whether to cite or charge the dog's owner, Dacre said.

"I think this just goes to the basic unpredictability of certain breeds of dogs," he said. "The dog was frenzied. The whole thing lasted about 45 seconds.''

[JudyHoffman]

[quote]"I think this just goes to the basic unpredictability of certain breeds of dogs," he said. "The dog was frenzied. The whole thing lasted about 45 seconds.'' [/quote]

What a horrible story. The only words I'd change to the above quote is instead of "certain breeds of dogs" would be "dogs". Any dog that is that frenzied can wreak havoc ....... didn't have to be a pitbull or any of the bully dogs.

[Malamum]

I think the woman should definitely be charged. Leash laws are there for a reason and apply to EVERYONE.

[Guest Anonymous]

Another irresponsible owner. Wonder if it was an APBT, curr, AM Staff, pit mix....
[quote]"I think this just goes to the basic unpredictability of certain breeds of dogs," '' [/quote]
I think this should have read... "I think this just goes to the basic ignorance of irresponsible, uneducated owners"
That owner deserved what she got from the horse. She should be charged for her dogs attack on a police officer. Oh, and the dog should be put down, unfortunately because of an ignorant owner.

[courtnek]

unfortunately, with the bully breeds, thay have anmal aggression issues.
They NEED TO BE LEASHED.. what was she thinking??

She should consider herself lucky the horse didnt lash out and kick the dogs head in...which they are completely capable of doing..and have done on a number of occasions., even against non-aggresive dogs...

STUPID OWNER ALERT!!!

[Malamum]

I think in this case the breed is irrelevant. She was NOT in a leash free area so no dog should be off lead regardless of their breed.

[Guest Anonymous]

Personally I would not let my Pit Bulls off leash, even though none of them are animal aggressive. I only ever let them off leash, in tried, tested and true areas that I know there will be no one around. Even if the dog had never shown aggression before, I am going to hazard a guess and say that the dog probably has no been around horses before. I say this because if it had and was aggressive towards them, I would hope that the owner would not let the dog off leash.

Even if you 'know' your dog of any breed, is not animal aggressive with animals it has been socalized around. You cannot expect them to be this way with EVERY animal, like ones it has not been around..maybe?

The owner is completely to blame and should pay accordingly. It's painfully clear she is clueless, other wise why would anyone let their dog off leash around a freaking police man?