Pit bulls suspected in horse mauling

Two dogs identified by neighbors as pit bulls haven't been seen since Saturday night, when they likely mauled a miniature horse to death.

Sugar, a white miniature stallion, was the pride of his owners.

Neighbors in the 2200 block of C street, west of Island Grove Park, have been at a loss since that night, wondering how to protect their children, grandchildren and animals in case the dogs come back.

Weld County Sheriff's deputies came to help Saturday, neighbors said, but no one has heard if the dogs were found or if they had diseases such as rabies.

Weld County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Margie Martinez on Tuesday said she does not know anything about the incident.

Now, Sugar's owners, Wanda and Don Kern, say they feel left alone after their horse's death, not sure who to turn to, not sure how to go on.

"That was my little boy, my Sugar baby. I took care of him like he was my child," said Wanda, whose children are all grown.

The Kerns used to put a little saddle on Sugar, whom they've had for eight years, and let their grandchildren ride on him.

It's the grandchildren and their neighbors' kids they're now most concerned about, Don said, a deep frown on his face.

"It's too late to save the horse, but there are other people who need to know there is a danger out there," he said. "You don't know when it's going to strike again."

The Kerns didn't know until Sunday night that it had been dogs who killed their horse. Talking to a neighbor solved the mystery.

Neighbor Jesse Mendoza said he was in his backyard when he heard growling out front and then saw a brown and a spotted pit bull covered in blood. He threw rocks at them, and they took off into the dark.

Mendoza then called 911 and police looked for them, but couldn't find anything, he said.

Now, he follows his two grandchildren's every step and doesn't allow them to leave the house by themselves, Mendoza said.

Another neighbor, Mike Day, said he requested to speak with the sheriff's office Monday to find out whether the dogs had been caught. Day has not received an answer yet and said that even though law enforcement is usually reliable, he's disappointed this time.

With children and grandchildren, dogs and two alpacas, Day said if the dogs show up on his property he would need to take necessary actions to get rid of them.

"If those dogs aren't rounded up, I'll have to be vigilant," he said. "My two daughters wouldn't know what to do if they were attacked by two pit bulls in the driveway."

Unlike Denver, where pit bull breeds are prohibited, Weld County has no such restrictions.