Person stabbed, beat pit bull mix in self-defense, L.A. police say

Spartacus, the pit bull mix found stabbed and beaten with a shovel in South L.A., was injured in an act of self-defense by a neighbor, authorities said they now believe.

The dog was slashed with a knife and struck with a shovel by a neighbor near 10th Street and Forest Avenue early Saturday morning, Los Angeles police said.

Photos of the dog showed slashes to his head and neck and injuries toward the top of his back.

However, several witnesses told investigators that the incident was not a case of animal cruelty, but rather self-defense, said LAPD Lt. Andy Neiman.

“We understand that animals who are pictured with severe wounds can be very compelling and it is easy to make assumptions about their injuries,” Neiman said.

“However, in this particular case, our animal cruelty experts believe that the investigation is revealing this is a case of self-defense by a person faced with a dog who was at large and in attack mode.”

The Ghetto Rescue Foundation said Spartacus required more than 1,000 stitches to close the wounds to his head, neck, ears, mouth and torso.

As Spartacus recovered Monday, another dog owner has pledged to take care of him during the police investigation, the foundation said.

Neiman said that other than initial reports of the incident being an animal cruelty case, there has been no information to support that claim.

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