HI: Another Oahu hunting attack leaves 10-year-old girl’s horse dead

Another Oahu hunting attack leaves 10-year-old girl’s horse dead

04/08/2021

A Nanakuli family is mourning the loss of their horse after they say she was attacked by hunting dogs. It is the second known horse attack on Oahu in just two weeks.

Owners are asking pig hunters to properly train their dogs, just like the owners of the horse involved in the incident on Saturday, March 27.

Patches was a beloved member of the Samson ohana. She had ridden in rodeos, become a grandmother and was pregnant again at 26 years old.

“You can tell where it got stirred up she flipped over reared up, there’s no dig marks, obviously everything is flat there’s flat marks it shows struggle. She jumped the fence here you can tell because everything is down,” Patches’ owner Shawndelyn Samson said.

“How I found out was walking to my horse, and my white horse was full with blood and my black and white was not breathing on the ground with bite marks all on her legs,” Samson said.

Patches death has hit Shawndelyn’s 10-year-old daughter, Sina, especially hard.

“I just liked to brush her and pet her and play with her hair, and sit on her and stuff,” Sina said.

Pig hunters are required to take classes and they also need a license.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources says hunters are taught the following from Hawaii Administrative Rules, Title 13, Chapter 123 (Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting) as they apply to this incident:

  • The dog’s owner or handler shall accompany the dog at all times while hunting. The dog shall be under control at all times and physically restrained except when hunting and actively in pursuit of game.
  • The dog’s owner shall be held strictly liable for all actions, injuries, or damages caused by the owner’s dog.
  • The dog shall be under voice control at all times and physically restrained in all safety zones and closed areas.
  • Dog identification must be on the dog at all times, including while in a public hunting area and actively in pursuit of game.

As a pig hunter herself, Shawndelyn says she does not blame the dogs or hunters in general. She is instead urging other hunters to take responsibility and make sure their hunting dogs are well-trained.

“Just be more open so on days like this we can help you to help us to train your dogs to not be so driven to anything that runs, just driven to get what they’re supposed to get. We can fix the problem,” Shawndelyn said.

The Honolulu Police Department says they have opened a dangerous dog investigation and is asking anybody with information to contact them.

The Samson ohana is offering $1,000 reward for information leading to the persons responsible.

 

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