New pit bull attack on horse in canyon
Horse injured, dog owner remains at scene this time
Another off-leash pit bull has attacked and injured a horse being ridden near Auburn – the second in less than three weeks. The unprovoked attack occurred at the North Fork of the American River on Sunday afternoon, with a 13-year-old Arabian fending the dog off and then entering the swift-flowing current to escape further injury. Rider Sandra Goodwin of Applegate said Tuesday that the dog appeared to be a different one than a pit bull that attacked a horse on a trail near Driver’s Flat, about 4 miles east of Auburn, on April 3. Sunday’s attack took place after Goodwin and her husband, Harrison Goodwin, had ridden their horses across the North Fork after a four-hour training run in preparation for this summer’s Tevis Cup 100-mile endurance ride. “We saw the pit bull running at us from about 150 yards away,” Sandra Goodwin said. “It was coming at us like a bullet.” The owner followed, using voice commands in a futile attempt to make it stop. The dog jumped at the face of her husband’s horse but it turned its head before the pit bull could latch on with its jaws, Sandra Goodwin said. Harrison Goodwin – an Auburn attorney – had dismounted and gave the dog a strong kick, lifting it backward. But the dog wasn’t done. It snapped at the horse’s legs while the 900-pound Arabian kicked back to protect itself. Then the dog turned on Sandra Goodwin’s Halleys Comet, jumping up and biting into the stomach area. “It was vicious, unstoppable,” she said. “There was nothing that could have stopped that dog but a gun. If the dog had turned on us, we would have had no defense.” Shaking the dog off, Halleys Comet took off and circled the sandy beach area a couple of times with his attacker in pursuit. The bloodied horse landed some solid blows with its hooves as the dog attempted to bite its flanks. At one point it stomped on the pit bull. The owner attempted to catch the dog but wasn’t able to stop the continuing assault. Halley’s Comet ran into the North Fork waters and found a sandbar where it was able to stand and steady itself in three feet of frigid water. The pit bull tried to swim out but ended up being carried downstream by the current and onto the shoreline on the eastern side. Rafters on an excursion with Sacramento’s W.E.T. River Trips also witnessed the attack and they were able to bring the dog under control by tying a rope to its collar and wrapping the rope around a tree. The horse was poneyed to the Applegate side of the river by Harrison Goodwin and made it back to its trailer on the canyon rim, about 2 miles up. Placer County Sheriff’s Department and Animal Control members were waiting at the top after being contacted by phone. Goodwin said the pit bull owner was cooperative and apologetic with both him and law enforcement. The April 3 attack took place near Foresthill Road. The pit bull – larger and a different color than the once involved in Sunday’s incident – also jumped at the horse’s face and was able to latch on before being thrown into a tree. The dog chased the horse down a trail and then halted after reaching Foresthill Road. The horse was caught about 3 miles away, after running along the road to near the Foresthill Bridge. In that attack, the owner was also present. But he ignored the rider’s request for a ride and took off on his own, collecting his dog and disappearing. The search for both the dog and the owner in that incident is continuing with a total of $4,000 in reward money being offered. Halley’s Comet was taken to an Auburn veterinarian, where her wound took 20 stitches to close. The attack took place on land that is within the jurisdiction of county law enforcement rather than the state Parks Department. Sandra Goodwin, a psychologist and director of the California Institute for Mental Health, said that she understood from law enforcement that they would identify the dog as potentially dangerous and cite the owner for having the dog off leash and not in control. “It’s like one strike and it only applies in Placer County,” Goodwin said. “It’s really scary to think about if it had been a kid rather than a horse.” While the wound is expected to heal within two weeks, Sandra Goodwin said she’s still uncertain about the psychological scars her horse will have to deal with. The Goodwins are continuing to plan for their attempt to gain a Tevis Cup finisher’s buckle on July 19-20. “I love dogs, we have dogs,” Goodwin said. “I’ve let him out with our dogs to see how he’ll react and he’s been fine. But I don’t know what it will be like when he sees a strange dog coming up the trail.” The Journal’s Gus Thomson can be reached at gust@goldcountrymedia.com.
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That is it. I am carrying my .380 when I ride in the canyon from now on.
Dog owners: If you don't leash them, you stand a chance of losing them.
I always carry my gun and pepper spray even though it is illegal. Not for the dogs on the trails but for the wierdos I have come across in 20 years of riding these trails. I would rather save my life and pay the fines than risk being abducted and/or killed by some pervert. I have had to brandish my weapon but luckily they are smart enough to leave me alone after that. I hope I will never have to use it on a dog though. I hope for a speedy recovery for the horses in both incidents.
I have lived in the area all my life & recently move to Auburn. What is it with people in Auburn & surrounding areas with the darn pit bulls, in my neighborhood there are at least 5 that are in a 1 block radius. I own German Sheppard mixes. Go to the pound find a nice mixed animal that has good traits from all its breeds. I think these dogs are in-bread for the most part that is what makes them so sketchy & unpredictable. I am not saying that the proper blood line may not carry good traits. I have noticed that there seem to be more Pits in this area than others. This means they had to come from somewhere, most likely a local blood line. This can cause higher chances that recessive genes & bad traits well become more dominant in the local population of the breed. I don’t get fascination with these dogs. Yet all the pit bull owners say “not my dog”. Instead of accepting the fact that they are a “tamed beast” for the most part & will kick into “nature vs. nurture mode” AND Nature will always win. Not to bag on the pit owners but please stop being so ignorant about the animal you own. It is just that an ANIMAL and will always be such. No matter the training you provide. Even my dogs still try and eat things like gophers and birds this shows me that they are still “tamed beast” and it is my duty to look out for them; keep them safe from their own instincts which indeed might cause harm to livestock or themselves.
What is with these dog owners? I go up and down the trails 4 days a week and every day I see un leashed dogs...perhaps the sherrifs dept or BLM Rangers should ride a horse, bike, or hike around and cite all people with un leashed dogs and maybe the word would get out.everyone now just looks the other way..fortunate no one got hurt..
I was down at Clementine the past few days and saw Dog's off their leashes. It's giving dog owners a bad name.
TO: LocalGirl1976: Excuse me! German Sheppards are also a breed with a bad reputation. You are the ignorant one. Your dog wants to eat gophers and birds..... How the hell do you know that YOUR dog wouldn't go after any other animal, even a horse. You don't know! Before you start attacking the Pitbull breed, you should consider the reputation of your own dog. Oh wait, you are one of those dog owners that say "not my dog." Any dog can be trained to be mean and attack, even your precious little German Sheppard mix. Your commentary about inbreeding would appear to apply more to you and your family then the pit bull community here in Auburn. It is your simplistic and flawed logic that fails to understand why so many people here and nation wide have loving pitbulls as family pets. Dogs are beasts just like humans. We help them control their instincts and emotional responses. You need to do the same about your own. Everyone in Auburn is not an idiot, does not have a death wish, and are not inbred. This sounds more like a dog/leash problem i.e. human error irresponsibility, not a feral dog problem. Blaming the breed is like blaming a race for deficiencies. Maybe Auburn is too independent for you and your innocent/passive German Shepard mix. I am a proud owner of a Pit Bull. He is the best family dog our 3 young children could ever wish for. When he goes out with us, we take every reasonable precaution to protect him, our family, other families, and their pets. Watch the video below. Knowledge is power. Enlighten yourself with the video below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBus4GGsyb4
I have great sympathy for the horses that have been attacked. They are truly innocent in all of this. Don't make the breed "Pit Bull" a second victim. We should learn from this, not damn a entire breed of loving, faithful dogs. Be responsible and keep your dogs on a leash!
We have the same trouble on trails in Meadow Vista - not only do owners think they have the right to let their dogs defecate and not clean up after them, but the allow them to run free - yet they can't control them when they come upon other people using the trails. We shouldn't have to fear for our lives, or even have a dog jump on us as we run by - being outdoors should be a pleasant experience for all. Well, we have all been warned and thank God a child has not been ripped to pieces or jumped on and fallen into the canal. I am licensed and will carry my gun now.
Sorry...its the breed. Pit bulls were oriiginally bred for bull-baiting in England. When that became illegal, they started matching dogs against each other. The majority of pit bulls in this country are bred by criminals, dogfighters, thugs and idiots who lack the brains or ability to make an honest living otherwise. So many breeders are deliberately breeding dogs with human aggressive and/or animal aggressive temperaments, there are huge numbers of unstable, dangerous dogs out there.
Don't tell me a Beagle would attack an animal ten times it's body weight, and continue to hang on and keep coming after being pummeled by a horses hooves. That's bulldog behavior. These dogs are doing what they were created to do...attack and kill other animals, with no warning; they are "game" dogs. You can't love a genetic trait out of a dog.
Either society has to regulate the breeding and ownership of these dogs....with mandatory spay and neuter for non AKC/UKC registered dogs, microchipping, and liability insurance for owners....or we can all just get used to these types of maulings. If you are not willing to recognize the danger these dogs pose to other animals, (and often humans too), then stop complaining when they maul a horse/dog/child.
My heart goes out to the horse and her owner; that's a nasty wound. Most pit bull owners are judgement proof deadbeats, so good luck getting the dogs owner to step up and pay the vet bills.
I am sorry the horses injury, but have no feelings for the dog or owner. Thank God it wasn't a child. put the dog out, and have the owner pay for all vet bills. maybe some responibility put on the dogs owner would change pit bull owners attitude about breeding such useless animals!!
Auburn and the American River Canyon is a beautiful place to recreate that we all share, and we also share a desire for harmony. Lack of consideration for other others, and their property, causes destructive behavior. Whether it is the irresponsible handling of a dangerous animal, or using words to put others down and make us feel justified in our opinions, these selfish acts only create problems. All people, including dog owners and horse owners, need to be considerate of others no matter what the circumstance. Focusing on relevant facts and getting away from our personal views can help move us towards a safer and more enjoyable life for all.
Jeanne, you nailed it! In my professional experience, the meth users, cookers and dealers all seem to have pit bulls. Certainly there are exceptions, but the pit seems to be the breed of choice for that element of society. Maybe because of it's aggressive nature. You stated, "there are huge numbers of unstable dangerous dogs out there." That's because they are being raised by unstable, dangerous people. You add to it the aggressive nature of the dog, and it's an accident waiting to happen. But again, there are exceptions.
i dont even have an 'agressive' breed & I will not walk my dog off leash, any dog is unpredictable to some extent, I believe in the safety of eveyone therefore my dogs ALWAYS are on leash. I would hope otherd would do the same.
I wish the horses & riders the best in luck at the Tevis even with this setback.