TheeBadOne
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Pit bull attacks police horse in Golden Gate Park; two injured
Police are investigating an incident in which an unleashed pit bull attacked a mounted police officer's horse in Golden Gate Park today.
The caper began shortly before 1 p.m. near the Conservatory of Flowers, according to Sgt. Neville Gittens.
A woman was walking her pit bull in the park when she removed the dog's leash, Gittens said. A mounted police sergeant called to the woman, telling her to put the dog's leash on, and it was then that the dog noticed the horse, according to Gittens.
The pit bull attacked the horse, biting the animal's rear legs, Gittens said. The sergeant was thrown from the horse to the ground. The pit bull's owner tried to intervene and regain control of her dog, but she was kicked in the face by the horse, according to Gittens.
The horse then began running west down Golden Gate Drive with the dog in pursuit, Gittens said. At some point, the two animals were separated and a group of park visitors was able to corral the horse.
Meanwhile, a second sergeant responding to the incident saw the group with the horse as he entered the park at Eighth Avenue, Gittens said. The group pointed out the dog to the sergeant, and the dog started to charge the horse again. The officer fired his gun twice, hitting the pit bull once, Gittens said. The dog ran into some bushes after being shot, and was later retrieved by animal control authorities.
The SPCA has the pit bull, which is still alive, and the horse is in its stable being treated for puncture wounds to its back legs, Gittens said. The sergeant who was thrown from the horse and the dog's owner were taken to St. Mary's Hospital. According to Gittens, the sergeant is suffering back pain and the woman is being treated for a broken finger and trauma to her right eye.
Police have not yet determined whether the dog will be euthanized, and it is not known whether any charges will be filed in connection with the incident.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/gate/archive/2003/11/23/horse23.DTL
Police are investigating an incident in which an unleashed pit bull attacked a mounted police officer's horse in Golden Gate Park today.
The caper began shortly before 1 p.m. near the Conservatory of Flowers, according to Sgt. Neville Gittens.
A woman was walking her pit bull in the park when she removed the dog's leash, Gittens said. A mounted police sergeant called to the woman, telling her to put the dog's leash on, and it was then that the dog noticed the horse, according to Gittens.
The pit bull attacked the horse, biting the animal's rear legs, Gittens said. The sergeant was thrown from the horse to the ground. The pit bull's owner tried to intervene and regain control of her dog, but she was kicked in the face by the horse, according to Gittens.
The horse then began running west down Golden Gate Drive with the dog in pursuit, Gittens said. At some point, the two animals were separated and a group of park visitors was able to corral the horse.
Meanwhile, a second sergeant responding to the incident saw the group with the horse as he entered the park at Eighth Avenue, Gittens said. The group pointed out the dog to the sergeant, and the dog started to charge the horse again. The officer fired his gun twice, hitting the pit bull once, Gittens said. The dog ran into some bushes after being shot, and was later retrieved by animal control authorities.
The SPCA has the pit bull, which is still alive, and the horse is in its stable being treated for puncture wounds to its back legs, Gittens said. The sergeant who was thrown from the horse and the dog's owner were taken to St. Mary's Hospital. According to Gittens, the sergeant is suffering back pain and the woman is being treated for a broken finger and trauma to her right eye.
Police have not yet determined whether the dog will be euthanized, and it is not known whether any charges will be filed in connection with the incident.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/gate/archive/2003/11/23/horse23.DTL