Nash County Horse Mauled By Pit Bulls

The pit bull attack happened in Nash County, about 4 miles from Whitakers, close to the Halifax County border. But this may not be dogs' first victim.

The horse is 21 years old, and was attacked in her stable Tuesday night.

The horse's owner, Lynette Bradley, says her horse was bitten about 10 times by the two Pit Bulls.

"From the looks of the bites, it looks like they tried to kill her by grabbing around her neck and eating into her for some reason. She's not the kind of horse that is vicious; she doesn't kick, she doesn't bite," says Bradley.

The dog's owner, James Petway, had little to say, but did offer to pay the vet bills. He also said that the two dogs were former hunting dogs who may have mistaken the horse for a deer.

However, Petway's neighbor, Jim Patterson, says that the dogs have been a problem for years.

"I've had several goats killed by those dogs, and my wife got bit on the leg," he says. There is no record of Patterson's wife being bitten, however.

Patterson says the dogs should be taken away or put to sleep. The state cannot legally do that at this point, but the dogs have been declared dangerous and have to be kept indoors. The owner has also been fined $50.

"It is a very serious situation," says Nash County Health Director William Hill. "It seems like it's a part of urban growth in rural areas. We're seeing this more and more. I have declared more dogs dangerous or vicious in the last 12 months than I have in the last 10 years."

The horse is expected to recover. Having been declared dangerous, if the dogs engage in another attack, the owner could face criminal charges and the dogs could be euthanized.