Charlie, an 18-month-old Staffordshire terrier that allegedly attacked and spooked a US Park Police horse in Crissy Field on August 6, has been sentenced to death by Animal Care and Control's Vicious and Dangerous Dog Unit.
Charlie's owner, David Gizzarelli, who was arrested at the scene of the attack, is now fighting for Charlie's life, working with a lawyer to file an injunction to keep the dog from being euthanized.
As the story goes, Gizzarelli had taken the dog to Crissy Field where Charlie was running off-leash. Charlie then spotted the horse, Stoney, with Park Policeman Howard Levitt astride it, and proceeded to attack, biting the horse's stomach and locking on to a rear leg. The horse freaked out, threw Levitt off, and ran off toward his stable with the dog in pursuit. The dog chased the horse around the stable, and eventually the horse kicked him and the dog retreated toward the Lincoln Blvd. underpass of Presidio Parkway.
Levitt claims Gizzarelli failed ever to get control of the dog, and Gizzarelli probably doesn't dispute that since it sounds like he called Animal Care and Control the day of the incident in order to deal with his dog. (Gizzarelli told the Ex, "My dog is very fast, and the horse is fast. I couldn’t get him.”) Stoney, the horse is still being treated for its injuries, and it's unclear if he can return to active duty.
