LABELLE, Fla. — A call ran across the telecommunication center of a Hendry County deputy about an animal complaint. The deputy headed to Evans Road, where the deputy found a horse viciously attacked by dogs.
The attack unfolded on Saturday night.
“Deputies got out there. They looked into it. The dogs were no longer there. They check with neighbors to be able to identify," said Captain Susan Harrelle of the Hendry County Sherriff's Office.
Deputies asked around to identify the dog owners but were unable to find them.
The horse eventually died.
We know the horse belonged to someone who was very traumatized," Harrelle said.
In the incident report, the reporting deputy writes that one of the individuals "was very upset."
Deputies saw the horse lying on the ground with several wounds on its face, neck and vital organs. The reporting deputy wrote, "the horse was in distress and had injuries inconsistent with life."
A woman, who witnessed the attack posted on Facebook, described the incident. She said one of the dogs was a large white dog and the other looked like a large brown Pitbull mix.
She also warned others about the dogs being loose.
Evans Road isn't the only place where dogs are running loose. Harrelle said it's a problem across Hendry County.
“It is unfortunate that sometimes we have areas where animals are just let loose and gone -- left to their own means," she said.
Hendry County has an ordinance that makes sure this doesn't happen. The ordinance requires dog owners to restrain their dogs to protect humans and other animals from injury.
“That means that owners must contain their animals to their property. When they aren’t, they have to be physically retrained. That means they have to be on a lease, kenneled or in their arms," Harrelle said.
She encouraged people who see loose dogs to call animal control or law enforcement for help.
