Miniature Horse Viciously Attacked by Pit Bulls in New Hampshire

A miniature horse named Mister Buddy was severely injured in a late-night attack by two pit bulls in Goffstown, New Hampshire. The incident occurred on October 3, when the caretaker and property owner, Mike Boucher, discovered the dogs mauling the horse in its paddock.

Mister Buddy, a 26-to-27-year-old miniature horse, suffered several injuries, including a torn ear, a four-to-five-inch gash on his chin, and a bite to his lower abdomen, along with numerous other bites across his body. Boucher intervened, chasing the dogs away, which he believes prevented a more tragic outcome. "They were tearing [Mister Buddy] up, he'd be dead by morning if we didn't hear the sounds," Boucher told The Daily Mail. "They were gnawing like a bone on his back legs."

Mister Buddy received emergency veterinary care and spent six days at Deerfield Veterinary Clinic and New England Equine Medical and Surgical Center. He returned home on October 9 with visible scars.

Police were notified of the attack, and the owners of the pit bulls were issued citations for unlicensed and vicious dogs. Boucher alleges the dogs belong to a couple living in a nearby trailer, one of whom reportedly breeds pit bulls. Mister Buddy's owner, Nancy Sliwerski, a local school teacher, also believes the dogs were unlicensed. As of the report, Sliwerski and Boucher had not heard from the dogs' owners offering an apology.

A GoFundMe campaign has been initiated to raise funds for a more secure enclosure for Mister Buddy and the other two miniature horses on the property, Zeus and Honeybun, to prevent future incidents. "This has been an incredibly traumatic experience, not just for the horses, but for the people who care for them," Sliwerski wrote on the fundraising page.