Police are investigating an incident in a Newnan, Georgia PetSmart store in which a man stabbed a pit bull to death because it was attacking his dog.
According to Atlanta's WXIA News, a volunteer with the Newnan-Coweta Humane Society was walking a pit bull named Clara through the store for a dog adoption event when the dog slipped her collar.
The pit bull approached a white Yorkshire terrier owned by a man named Craig Emory. The larger dog reportedly grabbed the terrier first by the ear, then by the skin of its neck and began to shake it.
"It is the worst thing I've ever seen," said customer Teresa Reeves. "We heard screaming at the front of the store and went running to see what was happening. The pit bull had the smaller dog at the back of the neck holding the loose skin and fur there."
That's when Emory reportedly pulled a pocket knife and began to repeatedly stab the pit bull in an effort to save his own dog's life.
PetSmart staff came running with an air horn and water sprayer -- tools they normally use to break up dog fights in the store -- but were too late to stop what happened.
Mike Wohler, Reeves' fiance, told WXIA he thinks Emory overreacted, saying, "It didn't look like the dogs were even fighting, but [Emory] was pummeling the dog...then I realized he wasn't punching the dog. He was stabbing it."
Reeves complained that there was blood "everywhere."
Wohler said that he was able to pry open the pit bull's jaws and free the terrier, but the larger dog had to be euthanized due to its injuries.
PetSmart told WXIA, "Our top priority is the safety of pet parents and pets in our stores. We are working with the pet parent of the Westie to make sure it makes a full recovery."
Reeves and Wohler, however, said she believes Emory should be prosecuted for attacking the pit bull.
"You can't just walk into a floor and stab a dog in front of families and children," Wohler insisted.
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[image of pit bull via Shutterstock.com]
