32 yr old horse killed by Pit Bulls in Indiana

[paintsnpalos]

LAPORTE COUNTY | A horse was killed over the weekend apparently by pit bulls in a bloody attack inside a barn near LaCrosse.

Mike Catalano, 35, said he grew up with the horse named Abby and so did his children, who are devastated by the cruel death.

''I'm tore up. She was like a member of the family to us,'' said Catalano.

Catalano went out to his barn to feed the animals Saturday morning and discovered the 32-year-old horse dead from the grisly overnight attack on his property at 22901 S. LaPorte County Road 650 West.

The floor and even the walls of the barn were splattered with blood.

Catalano said two pit bulls apparently grabbed the horse by her face then mutilated her.

Another horse and a miniature donkey kept in the barn managed to escape.

Catalano said there were two sets of tracks heading toward and away from his barn.

There were also blood drippings in the paw prints followed to a residence a few hundred feet away.

A pit bull covered in dried blood was taken from that home but a second dog was not located.

The owner was cited for harboring a non-licensed and non-immunized animal, said LaPorte County Animal control director Jane Bernard.

Bernard said Monday the dog was being housed at the LaPorte County Small Animal Shelter and will be euthanized.

''It will not be available for adoption or returned to the owner,'' Bernard said.

Bernard said whether a second dog was involved and where it might be is being investigated.

''I don't think this dog could have done it on its own,'' she said.

Catalano said the barn sits quite a distance from his home so his family was unaware of the bloodshed as it was occurring.

[jnlfoxtrotter]

That is so sad What a horrible way for that old gal to go. I hope they find the second dog before it attacks anything or anyone else. Once it has a taste for blood, it will attack again.

[resugirl]

This is sad on so many levels. The poor old horse and her suffering, the poor family of the horse and their loss and the ignorance of the owner of the dog(s) in question. I feel terrible for the horse and what she had to suffer. I can only imagine the horror and loss of the family that belonged to her. However, what really makes my blood boil are the people who owned the dog(s). I first want to say, I have no breed predjucice. I think Bull Terrier types can be wonderful animals in the right hands. I myself have own(ed) dobermans, rottweillers, danes and boxers. All "scary/viscious" breeds. I know how awesome these dogs are. I also know that these great loving dogs can be turned into monsters when owned by irresponsible, cruel, careless, etc. people. Just like children subjected to abuse. I hope severe legal action is taken against the owners of the dog. Maybe some of the "trash" that likes to use these poor animals as some kind of sick status symbol will begin to think twice (I can only hope). The second dog will hopefully be found before anymore damage is done. I hope that it recieves a humane end as the other dog will. The dogs have also suffered at the hands of their owners and these ignorant people have destroyed 3 animals.

[LLStar117]

This is becoming a serious issue. This is the 2nd pitbull attack on a horse and another attack killing 2 humans was last year or so. Is it just irresponcible owners, or are these dogs breed to fight? What are the dog owners doing to these dogs to make them snap and kill? They aren't killing their own family, they get loose and go kill animals or people they have no connection with. I am not against the dog breeds either. I do agree that the dog owners should pay for what their dogs have done.

[renegadespiritcat]

Sounds like those folks who own those kinds of agressive animals need a serious public dicipline to THEMSELVES so they can learn how to correct bad behavior in their animals...
Any agressive dog allowed to run at large needs one thing plain and simple ... a Lead Lunch via 45 Colt.

[gittyup7203]

I SOOOOO agree cat ! I know we have a Pit Bull problem on our road as well. It makes my blood boil when they say " Oh they are family pets, grew up with our kids, they won`t hurt ya" Well that same Pill Bull can react to a horse riding down the road differently than another human. Me and a friend rode last year down our road and a Pit Bull busted threw the house screen door and bolted out right for for us. The owner grabbed the dog in mid air. Since then i ride with pepper spray & and a cell phone. This year it will be a gun as well. If i fear for me or the safety of my horse i WILL win ! Family pet or not. That poor horse :-(

Staci
Hagan Boarding Stables

[sam]

just on the news last night about a pony being killed by a "wild" pit bull...in Kalamazoo

we had 2 wild dogs in the neighborhood a few weeks back. Attacked a neighbor kid and had the horses spooked for a few days. got into someone's rabbit cages and left a mess. Noone has seen them since, but everyone ready to shoot if they do.

[elementfarms]

Okay, I really don't like getting into these convos but, i really can't stand here and read all the pitbull bashing..

No dog should ever be let Free to roam, dogs are like kids, they always find someway to do something they are not supposed to and get themselfs in trouble.



You never hear in the paper about how a golden, or a cocker, or a Husky, ect bit this person, but this kid, Kid this kid. Golden and Cockers are the #2 Dogs to bite Humans, Pitbulls are 3rd from the bottom of the list. you only hear about pitbulls because when tey bite they do damage.

Problem is there are so many backyard breeders that call there dogs pit bulls when they aren't. But the name PITBULL carries a price tag. It is very rare " atleast in my area " that you see a pitbull for free. Normally they are atleast $50 and I can gurantee you that they are no where close to a 100% pitbull.

I have been breeding and showing Pits for the past 5 1/2 years. And all off our dogs are UKC registered " Purple Ribbion Bred " but you can't tell me that even the dogs we have are 100% pitbulls. They even made a new Registery called " American Bully Kennel Club " Because UKC is thinking about dropping all pitbulls in there registery. There are so many other breeds they have put in there to try and take them to a different level.

There is only one way to fix these problems. Everyone that Breeds dogs or has a female that isn't fix should have to file for a LIC. They should have to qualify to beable to breed there dogs. ALL BREEDS... back yard breeders are the problems. No dog that shows any type of agrissive behavor should NEVER be bred. This is not just a Problem with pitbulls, this is with all breeds.. I'm talking about the miniature breeds too. People need to be set up right and know there breeds and how to handle them.


Pitbulls where never bred to harm a humane they were bred and have always been bred to serve MAN. A Pitbull was first named by being entered into a Pit to fight a Bull for Man's entertainment. Then as a Catch dog for Hunting boars, the Pitbull has been a Service dog for man in WORLD WAR 1 . Fighting Dogs are bred to fight. they ARE NOT Trained. The same as a Pleasure horse, They are bred to be slow legged, deep hocked, with a low head carriage, and no knee. you can not train a horse to move that way, same as you can no train a pitbull to fight. Pitbulls same as any other breed when raised by the wrong person they can turn on man.. However , the only person at fault is man. Same as someone beating there Child, they will one day lash out at there parents or another child.

It's just Logic,


Like I said, I have Pits. I had 15 adults at one time. And We have never had more than 1-2 litters a year, and do a lot of selling to over sea buys.

All off my dogs are raised with our kids, my cats, OTHER DOGS, Horses, Hell my Turkey used to peck the poo out of them, and I have NEVER had a problem. Why, because they are raised the way they need to be, by someone that knows there breed and how to handle them.

The News, paper, Ect. Lable most dogs as PITBULLS when a dog bit someone or gets hurt, The real deal is a True Pitbull is 35-45 pounds. and standing about 16-17 " tall. These dogs were more than Likely Back yard Mutts that someone labled as a PITBULL.

Everydog if it Bites is Labled a PITBULL. Other wise it gets no Attention.....................

[crzyhorselover09]

thats so sad to hear about this the way this old girl ...I would blame the dogs' owner for not keeping them in yard tied up!

I have a pitbull and I never leave him alone and always been good to him.

Those pitbulls probably came from a bad broken home and attack anything that in their ways. Wonder where the 2nd dog is...

[resugirl]

Thank You Element for stating what so many fail to know about "pit bulls". They should NEVER attack a human, if bred and raised right. Any dog raised and bred wrong can be a danger. As element stated you only hear about it when a "dangerous breed" attacks.

My friends 7 yr old daughter was attacked last summer by her neighbors shitzu mix. She ended up in the ER, it didn't make the news, the cops wouldn't even go investigate. This is after the ER nurse called the police. If that dog would have been a "Pit", Rotti, Dobi, etc. It would have been seized and all over the news. It still lives next door to the girl and she is afraid. By the way, this girl has grown up with a 150lb Rotti who follows her every command and is now always sent outside with her.

My daughter was attacked last year by one of her grandmothers "darling" Pomeranian. My daughter was 20lbs at the time and the dog was 10lbs. What do you think would have ahppened if it would have been a 200lb man and a 100lb Rotti? My mother-in-law still thinks I am horrible for not letting those dogs be loose around my kids. They weren't supposed to be near my kids anyway. They have had no training, other than to beg for food. They bark, growl, nip and lunge at everyone except me. I don't tolerate it and pin the little sob's everytime they do something like that to me. Anyway, they still can't see the big deal about the dog biting my daughter 1/2" from her eye. If I would have been there, those dogs would have been dead and my MIL would have showed some damage for being a "bad owner". BAD OWNERS=Dangerous Dogs (no matter what the breed).

The issue of the "wild dogs" is going to be a growing problem. Just as people are dumping their horses anywhere and everywhere in this bad economy, they are also doing it with their other pets. Take a drive and leave your dog out in farm country, someone will take it in, right? Keep your eyes open and be vigilant. Please call animal control before you shoot though. A lot of these dogs may be good animals on fallen on bad times, but if they act aggressive...do what needs to be done.

[LLStar117]

I am sorry but I don't agree with some of the things stated about the aggressive dog breeds. Yes any dog can snap and bite. Yes there are breeds that bite more than others and have those reputations, from the little taco bell dogs to the larger breeds. But there is a problem with the pitbulls. I am glad there are good responcible breeders out there that know how to train their dogs and everything. but its not just back yard breeders that are the problem here.
Anyone remember the 2 people killed by dogs in Fowlerville in the last year or so? Those were pits from a breeding farm. Supposedly well trained, good breeding, ect. They attacked and killed 2 people they did not know. They could of killed more but were caught after it happened.
The pit that attacked and killed a horse in SouthLyon? area last winter? That one was suposedly a family dog or something. Yet it killed a horse in a lady's barn while they were in the barn, it was not the barn owners dog either.
Yes I am sure there are other breeds of dogs that do attack humans and horses a like. But right now, there is a problem with pitbulls at large. There is a problem with people rich and poor running the rings that use them to kill eachother. There is poor judgement in owners letting them run loose. There is more problems than a bad repulation.