The rider of the $100,000 horse that was attacked by a pitbull in a Sydney park has lashed out at the dog’s owners, who fled the scene and refused to give their names.
In front of several shocked families and onlookers, Lunar was attacked by a white pitbull-Australian bulldog mix on Saturday afternoon in Centennial Park in the city’s inner-east.
Owner Ian Benson was walking his dog Lunar through the park’s horse route when he noticed the dog ‘lock on’ from a distance of roughly 50 metres, and the owners were unable to call the animal back.
Before Ian was able to catch the vicious pitbull by the collar and pin it to the ground, it spent up to five minutes trying to bite the frightened horse.
He claimed the dog’s owners were uncooperative, picking up the animal and scurrying off to their car after telling them his horse was “fine.”
These dogs are quite destructive. The horse had to be euthanized due to injuries the last time we had a dog attack like that, he told Daily Mail Australia.
The owner of Lunar said the pitbull charged in from a distance when the owner was strolling without a lead and unable to control it.
He expressed surprise that the dog survived after Lunar kicked it twice in the head while attempting to escape from its clutches.
Ian remarked, “I’m surprised it’s not dead.” It received two head kicks. I tried everything to push it away, but it wouldn’t go away.
Although the rider claimed it was the second dog-related incident they’d had that week, Lunar miraculously escaped the attack with no injuries.
Ian stated, “It doesn’t even matter what kind of dog you have; if you have any kind of dog, go after a horse.
If a young lady is riding a pony, the rider can get dropped.”
A family of four could be driving along and watch a horse jump through the glass. “A horse would want to gallop home naturally.”
Dogs typically become aware that they are outmatched or outsized after a few seconds. Also nice with dogs, Lunar will simply stand there.
Ian stated that the owner of the pitbull’s refusal to exchange information or express any regret over the occurrence was the most frustrating aspect of the incident.
I urged him to keep his dog on a lead and requested his licence and phone number once it was all over and I had caught the dog and pinned him down.
I replied that your dog attacked my f***ing horse when he asked why,’ the man told Daily Mail Australia.
He assured me that my horse was alright and that I didn’t need his contact information before grabbing his dog and fleeing.
“I can’t go running after him to acquire his information because I’m dealing with a 750 kilogramme beast that is spooked.” Since it costs $200 to call a vet out alone, it was a good thing she was fine.
He regretted the owner’s lack of accountability.
‘The owner of a dog that attacks someone is responsible.
It’s my fault if my horse escapes because of that dog and runs over a mother wheeling a stroller, Ian added.
“I’ve experienced situations in the park previously, and they’ve always been kind enough to provide details and let things go,” she said. You are unable to flee.
The pitbull owner was fined $330 for having the dog off-lead on the racetrack, and rangers reported that when the event made the news, the owner sought for their contact information to apologise.
Shannon Bishop, a nearby citizen who witnessed the attack on camera, called it “terrible.”
She told Daily Mail Australia, “I watched the horse rear up on its hind legs and thought s**t what’s going on there?”
I then noticed the dog. The dog’s level of aggression truly astounded me; I could see it trying to snap at the horse’s belly. The legs were also being snapped by it.
In an effort to avoid the good Samaritans trying to stop it from tearing further chunks out of the horses’ rear legs, the pitbull keeps running back and forth.
Eventually, Lunar uses a strong defensive swing to push the dog away from him.
The dog is eventually picked up by Ian by the collar and swung away before the dog’s two owners scoop him up and flee without so much as an apology.
The couple, who were “without any respect” for the horse, were described as being “terrible to behold” by Ms. Bishop.
I was astounded by how worthless the dog’s owners were; at one point, they tried to stop the dog, but it continued on for a very long time. She admitted to Daily Mail Australia that it was pretty confronting.
I was genuinely concerned that it would catch the horse.
A Parklands spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that an investigation was being conducted into the event.
Dogs must be on a leash in all other areas of Grand Drive and are not permitted to be walked on the horse track, according to the statement.
“Fines may be levied while the investigation is ongoing.”