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NEWNAN, GA (WXIA) -- Police are investigating the stabbing of a pit bull inside a Petsmart Sunday afternoon. It happened in front of dozens of families with children during one of the advertised adoption days.
Teresa Reeves was there with her fiance, Mike Wohler, and her 10 year-old daughter.
"It is the worst thing I've ever seen," said Reeves.
According to the police report, a volunteer with the Newnan-Coweta Humane Society was walking a pit bull named Clara. Clara managed to slip out of her collar and approached a smaller white "Yorkin" or Terrier, according to the report, and was pulling on its ear.
"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," said Reeves.
That's when a number of witnesses say the owner of the smaller dog started yelling, then pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed the pit bull several times.
"It didn't look like the dogs were even fighting, but [the owner] was pummeling the dog saying 'effing pit bull, how are you still around' and 'effing pit bull this and that', then I realized he wasn't punching the dog. He was stabbing it," said Wohler.
"There was blood everywhere and on everyone," said Reeves.
11 Alive News obtained a copy of the police report of the incident which included several witness accounts.
Store owner Al Williams told police volunteer Erike Leifker tooke the dog (pitbull) out of a cage for a walk, according to the report: "She (Leifker) stated that the pit bull got loose and ran back into the store. Leifker stated that the pit bull walked up to another small dog, when the pit bull started sniffing the dog. She stated that the next thing she knew, the pit bull grabbed the Yorkin and was pulling it by it's ear."
The dogs owner told police in the report the pit bull grabbed his dog by the ear and was pulling it. "He stated that he started kicking the pit bull but the pit bull would not let go". The owner started yelling for someone to get the dog off his, the report said. "After about 15 to 20 seconds no one was helping him so he took out his grey pocket knife and stabbed the pit bull three times."
Another witness, Michael Wohler, stated he heard the yelling and when he got to (the owner) he noticed that the pit bull was pulling the Yorkin, according to the report. "Wohler stated that he believed that the pit bull was not harming the other dog," the report said.
Theresa Reeves, another witness, stated "It was not necessary for him (the owner) to stab the pit bull like he did."
The report also said an employee of the store stated "(The owner) was yelling for someone to get the dog off of his dog".
The manager of the store told police they have items for incidents when a dog attacks another. Williams stated "that they were in the process of getting a couple of items like spray and a sound device. He stated that before they could, (the owner) had stabbed the pit bull."
According to several websites run by animal activists, Clara had to be euthanized because of her injuries.
11Alive News reached out to Petsmart for a response to what happened. The company said, "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."
"You can't just walk into a floor and stab a dog in front of families and children," said Wohler.
"The people who work in that store could have easily gotten those dogs apart from each other," said Reeves.
Newnan Police have not charged the owner who stabbed the pit bull. Spokesperson Gina Snider told 11 Alive News the case is still under investigation.
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