“My granddaughter is extremely upset and worried about her pony,” Susan Greene said. “If you witnessed first hand what the dogs did, it’s devastating.”
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| John Greene applies ointment on the wounds of Tom Tom, the family pony. The horse is recovering after two pit bulls mauled Tom Tom attack. |
It’s uncertain if the pony, Tom Tom, will recover from the physical injuries, which the owners described as so severe they thought they would have to kill the animal to put it out of its misery.
“There’s hardly a spot on that pony’s body that doesn’t have a bite,” Greene said. “That could have been my grandchild.”
Daphne’s mother, Laurel Greene, said when she ran outside, she saw the pony lying on the ground, covered in blood, with the two dogs standing over it.
“I didn’t know if he was dead or alive,” she said.
She said she yelled at the dogs until one crawled under the 4-foot fence that surrounded the pony’s pen. The other dog jumped over the fence, she said.
When Columbia County Animal Control officers came to the house, Laurel Greene said she described the two dogs and the officers immediately knew where to look for the animals.
A complaint against the dogs was filed Sept. 10 by Ernestine Brantley, who lives on NW Saturn Lane in Lake City, animal control officials said.
Brantley told officers that two pit bulls attacked and killed her cat. She provided a good description of the animals because she got a closer look at the dogs than she wanted.
Brantley got in her wheelchair to go outside and yell at the dogs to stop the attack, according to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office incident report. The dogs stopped, turned in her direction and began barking. Brantley told officers she was afraid the dogs were preparing to attack her. She continued screaming at the dogs until they ran away, the report said.
She told officers the cat died on her lap.
Brantley told investigators she didn’t know who owned the dogs and pointed in the direction she last saw the dogs running.
Investigators went to a house at 285 NW Saturn Lane and questioned Steven Glenn Baisden, who identified himself as the owner of a female brown pit bull.
Baisden, 29, told deputies that dog got loose a few days earlier and he hadn’t seen it since. He told investigators he would contact them when he located the dog.
The report did not indicate if Baisden called authorities when the dog returned to his home.
Dale Griffin, supervisor of Columbia County Animal Control, said the dogs are in custody at the animal shelter. Baisden did not willingly surrender the dogs, and a hearing will likely be held within two weeks to determine their fate.
“It’s not the first time complaints have been made against these dogs,” Griffin gave as the reason the dogs are being held.
If the owner disagrees with the panel’s ruling, he can appeal case to a county judge.
Even if the dogs are deemed dangerous, it doesn’t mean a death sentence for the animals, Griffin said.
The dogs could be returned to the owner with strict rules on how and where they are confined and how they are controlled when they are outside their confinement area.
“This could include a muzzle requirement,” Griffin said.
If the dogs are returned to Baisden and are caught running loose, Griffin said they would be automatically euthanized and the owner could face stiff fines.
Baisden said he will do whatever it takes to ensure his dogs never escape if he gets them back.
“They’re nice dogs,” he said. “They just don’t get along with other animals.”
Baisden said he is willing to pay any fine and pay any restitution to satisfy the horse’s owners, including buying them a new horse. And he has completed construction of a pen that is surrounded by an electric fence to guarantee the dogs never escape.
“They will never leave this property again if I get them back,” he said. “I sure hope they don’t put my dogs down. I consider these dogs part of my family.”
But the pony’s owners don’t want the dogs returned to their owner.
“We don’t want to stir anything up,” Susan Greene said. “We just want the dogs gone.”
Holy crap! I don't blame these people from saying they 'don't want to stir anything up'. Why do you think the neighbors keep vicious pit bulls on their property? Hmm, let's take a look at the facts:
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| Shown in photo: Steve G. Baisden, Stephany Baisden, Steven G. Baisden Sr. |
Steven G Baisden, 285 NW Saturn Lane, Lake City FL. DOB 9-9-82. Offense date: 12-15-06. Offense: BURGUNOCCSTRUC/CV OR ATT. Sentence date: 9-10-07. Prison Sentence Length: 1 year and 1 day. Release date: 7-5-08.
Stephany Lynn Baisden, 24, 285 NW Saturn Lane, Lake City FL. She is also referred to as Stephyany Lane Baisden in arrest mentions.
* Offense Date: 9-7-10
Offense: Probation Violation
*Offense Date: 4-7-10
Offense: Drugs-possess/cntrl Sub Wo Prescription (poss cont substance oxycodone/ diazepam), Marijuana-possess/not More Than 20 Grams and Narcotic Equip-possess/and Or Use (poss drug paraphernalia).
Sentence Date: 9-22-10
Prison Sentence Length: 1 year, 1 day
*Offense Date: 12-22-09
Offenses: SELL CONTROLLED SUBS +20G, POSS M/THAN 20G CONT/SUBS, POSS CONT/SUBS OXYCODONE, W/INT TO SELL, SELL/DEL CONT/SUBS OXYCOD, UNLAW USE 2WAY COMM/DEVIC, POSS OXYCODONE W/INT SELL, SALE OXYCODONE, UNLAWFU USE 2WAY COMM/DEV.
Sentence Date: ??
Prison Sentence Length: ??
*Offense Date: 9-19-04
Offense: POSS.CONTROL.SUBS/OTHER
Sentence Date: 10-04-07
Prison Sentence Length: 1 year, 1 day
Florida Department of Law Enforcement - Sexual Offender / Predator Flyer
Baisden is registered as a Sexual Offender.
Steven Glenn Baisden aka Steven Baisden, Steven G Baisden
Last Known Address: 325 NW Walter Mayo Gln, Lake City, FL 32055-9301
Offense/Statute: Lewd or lascivious molestation victim (female) 12-15 years old offender 18 or older; F.S. 800.04(5)(c)(2) (PRINCIPAL). Jurisdiction: Suwannee, Florida. Adjudication: Guilty/conviction. Date: 21 January 2003
*He is not listed as living at the Saturn Lane address, but his home address is less than five miles away. The owners of the pony had better make sure this guy stays far away from their home - and their children.
(Lake City Reporter - Nov 23, 2011)
