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chrisinhouston · 12-13-2006, 07:13 PM

Northwest Harris County horse may die after dog attack

By KEVIN MORAN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

A veterinarian said a miniature horse attacked by at least one pit bull dog early today could die from multiple bites.

"They almost killed him," said Crosby veterinarian Dr. James Hofmann, told a Chronicle photographer after the owner of a dog that attacked the 30-inch-tall horse around 3 a.m. brought the horse to Hofmann's clinic.

Hofmann said the horse suffered severe leg wounds and bites to its snout, among other injuries. It was too early to tell whether the horse would survive, Hofmann said.

The man who brought the horse to Hofmann refused to identify himself in a telephone interview from the clinic.

But he maintained that only one of two dogs he owns attacked the horse, which was tied to a tree at a small trailer park near the business where the dogs are penned up in the daytime but free to roam the property as guard dogs at night.

The man maintained that dogs owned by other neighbors were loose in the night and joined in the attack on the horse.

It was unclear whether Harris County animal control officers had taken the man's two dogs, one a pit bull and the other a mastiff, into custody by early afternoon.

"I'm taking care of the horse," the dog owner said. "I brought it to the doctor. The owner of the horse didn't want to do anything."

The man said he did not know the name of the horse's owner.

In another incident, sheriff's department spokesman Lt. John Martin said deputies on Tuesday were called to the 17300 block of Bamwoodin North Harris County at 5:34 p.m. to investigate a pit bull attack on a girl who entered the fenced yard of the dog's owner.

The girl, who is eight or nine years old, was taken to an area hospital by ambulance for treatment, Martin said.

Colleen Hodges, spokeswoman for Harris County's Veterinary Public Health division, said the dog involved is in custody at the society's shelter. She said the owners were considering having the dog euthanized because of the attack. But, because the dog was properly secured and the girl entered the owners' yard before the attack, the owners could choose to take the dog home after a 10-day quarantine, Hodges said.

The identities of the girl and the pit bull's owners as well as the nature of the girl's injuries could not be released because of privacy laws, Hodges said.

12-13-2006, 07:13 PM	#28
chrisinhouston Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Houston TX Posts: 1,857	Here's a new one! Northwest Harris County horse may die after dog attack By KEVIN MORAN Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle A veterinarian said a miniature horse attacked by at least one pit bull dog early today could die from multiple bites. "They almost killed him," said Crosby veterinarian Dr. James Hofmann, told a Chronicle photographer after the owner of a dog that attacked the 30-inch-tall horse around 3 a.m. brought the horse to Hofmann's clinic. Hofmann said the horse suffered severe leg wounds and bites to its snout, among other injuries. It was too early to tell whether the horse would survive, Hofmann said. The man who brought the horse to Hofmann refused to identify himself in a telephone interview from the clinic. But he maintained that only one of two dogs he owns attacked the horse, which was tied to a tree at a small trailer park near the business where the dogs are penned up in the daytime but free to roam the property as guard dogs at night. The man maintained that dogs owned by other neighbors were loose in the night and joined in the attack on the horse. It was unclear whether Harris County animal control officers had taken the man's two dogs, one a pit bull and the other a mastiff, into custody by early afternoon. "I'm taking care of the horse," the dog owner said. "I brought it to the doctor. The owner of the horse didn't want to do anything." The man said he did not know the name of the horse's owner. In another incident, sheriff's department spokesman Lt. John Martin said deputies on Tuesday were called to the 17300 block of Bamwoodin North Harris County at 5:34 p.m. to investigate a pit bull attack on a girl who entered the fenced yard of the dog's owner. The girl, who is eight or nine years old, was taken to an area hospital by ambulance for treatment, Martin said. Colleen Hodges, spokeswoman for Harris County's Veterinary Public Health division, said the dog involved is in custody at the society's shelter. She said the owners were considering having the dog euthanized because of the attack. But, because the dog was properly secured and the girl entered the owners' yard before the attack, the owners could choose to take the dog home after a 10-day quarantine, Hodges said. The identities of the girl and the pit bull's owners as well as the nature of the girl's injuries could not be released because of privacy laws, Hodges said.