ASPEN — A dog named Snoopy received 66 stitches during a three-hour surgery Monday after the 50-pound cattle dog was kicked by a skier after the dog snapped loose from his leash.
Three of Snoopy’s ligaments were severed in the violent encounter that happened about 3:50 p.m. Monday in the Tiehack area of Buttermilk left what owner Danny Brown called a “bloody mess” on the slopes.
Aspen Skiing Co., which operates Buttermilk, has a no-dogs policy during lift hours. The Tiehack lift closes at 3:30 p.m. The Summit Express lift — which runs top to bottom from the base of Buttermilk — closes at 4, meaning skiers can access the Tiehack area on the mountain’s east side. “Hikers with dogs need to be aware that there are skiers coming downhill until after 4 p.m.,” said Skico spokesman Jeff Hanle.
Brown, who wrapped Snoopy in a shirt to contain the bleeding and skied down cradling the dog in his arms, spent $1,500 on vet bills. He wants the skier to help pay them.
“If you would not have kicked him with your ski and then skied away only to hide from me at the bottom of the mountain, I might let this go,” Brown posted on Facebook about the skier who he described as a man with black hair who is in his late 30s or early 40s and wore a blue jacket. “Instead I will be searching for you to help pay for his medical bill.”
Deputy Michael Buglione said he did not believe the skier committed a crime and may have been unaware he injured the dog.
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