The owner of a Doberman that was involved in a fight with a pit bull at a Broomfield dog park will not be charged for stabbing the pit bull in order to separate the dogs.
The pit bull, named Mac, died from the stab wounds.
In a letter released today, 17th Judicial District Attorney Don Quick said the Doberman’s owner, Jeff Black, was justified in stabbing the pit bull to save his dog’s life and to protect bystanders.
“Under the facts and circumstances presented to us, it would not be possible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the killing of Mac, the pit bull, was unnecessary,” Quick wrote.
The fight happened on July 30 at the Broomfield Commons Dog Park.
Mac and the Doberman, named Spike, were involved in an initial tussle. The pair then became involved in a more serious fight, with witnesses describing Mac grabbing Spike by the throat and flipping him on his back.
Though witness accounts varied, Quick noted, nobody other than Benjamin Johnson, Mac’s owner, described Spike as the main aggressor.
Others said Mac started the second fight, and one said both dogs initiated the fight.
Johnson and Black both tried to separate the dogs. But Black said he feared for Spike’s life when he couldn’t hear Spike making any noises, according to Quick’s letter. Black stabbed and slashed at the throat of Mac several times with a pocket knife.
A veterinarian who later examined both animals said Mac had no bite marks on him, while Spike had bite marks to his snout and neck.
“This was a tragic event for everyone involved,” Quick concludes.
Staff writer John Ingold can be reached at 720-929-0898 or jingold@denverpost.com.
