A therapeutic miniature horse is now the one requiring care after its ear was bitten off in an attack by two pit bulls south of Nanaimo on Monday.

The two-and-a-half-foot-tall horse, named HaliBerry, was first attacked by the dogs in its stall and the attack continued out into the field, said the horse91裸聊视频檚 owner, Eileen Stevens, of Golden Maples Farm in Cassidy.

91裸聊视频淢y horse is very badly injured, she91裸聊视频檚 missing her left ear, but she91裸聊视频檚 a fighter 91裸聊视频� and she91裸聊视频檚 going to recover,91裸聊视频� Stevens said.

The dogs broke through her stucco wire fence 91裸聊视频渓ike it was spaghetti91裸聊视频� and Stevens spotted them outside her door when she went to take her horse for its morning walk. After she realized what was happening, she phoned her brother who came right away, and the two of them tried to fight off the dogs with a walker and a broom.

91裸聊视频淚t was so frightening because it was all happening so fast, but it seemed like so long91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� Stevens said. 91裸聊视频淚 just wish I could stop the pictures in my head. To see her running and then when that dog got her ear, part of me says, thank God I don91裸聊视频檛 have full hearing because I couldn91裸聊视频檛 hear her scream. Because horses will scream.91裸聊视频�

Stevens said she decided to talk to the media about the incident both to correct some misinformation that was spreading, and also to let people know about the dog owner91裸聊视频檚 response. She said he surrendered his animals to be euthanized and is paying all her veterinary bills.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 such an unfortunate accident because this man has lost his two dogs now and they91裸聊视频檙e family pets91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� Stevens said. 91裸聊视频淚 know his pain, because I91裸聊视频檝e had to put animals down before and I91裸聊视频檓 just hoping and praying that we don91裸聊视频檛 have to do that with HaliBerry, that she91裸聊视频檚 going to pull out of this.91裸聊视频�

The horse is going to survive, said Colin Scruton, equine surgeon at Equerry Equine Surgery and Sports Medicine hospital in Nanaimo. He said if the bites near a joint had become infected, or if the bites had punctured the abdomen, 91裸聊视频渢hen yes, it could have been worse, but no, it wasn91裸聊视频檛 worse.91裸聊视频�

Scruton said although treating a horse for dog bites isn91裸聊视频檛 common, it comes down to wound management. Cleaning up the wounds took a long time and the horse was given antibiotics.

91裸聊视频淥ur next challenge is to allow the wounds time to heal and hopefully where there once was an ear canal, for the wound to [heal] so at some point we can skin graft it in the future,91裸聊视频� he said.

Scruton said psychologically, the horse seems normal.

91裸聊视频淪he was in a lot of pain and suffering and shock for the first day, but she91裸聊视频檚 very interactive [now],91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 have photos of her playing with my son yesterday.91裸聊视频�

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Stevens said she once owned a pit bull 91裸聊视频渁nd it was a lovely animal91裸聊视频� and said she thinks Monday91裸聊视频檚 attack was just a case of dogs getting together and having a 91裸聊视频減ack mentality.91裸聊视频�

Stevens said a farrier, who is a friend of hers, has agreed to look after HaliBerry for the time being. Stevens said she might start up a GoFundMe to build a new shed because she91裸聊视频檚 concerned the existing stall will no longer seem like a safe space for her horse. The therapeutic care HaliBerry has provided will be on hold. Stevens said some people like to brush and talk to the horse, or a two-year-old might just sit on the horse and giggle.

91裸聊视频淪he91裸聊视频檚 that gentle. Everybody falls in love with her,91裸聊视频� Stevens said.

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