It was a horse that their Rebecca Fowler's daughter saved up her own money to buy.
"It was just hard to lose something like that, and I can't ever get it back.," said the horse's owner Katerina Lilich.
Now, the family is worried because the dogs responsible for the attack are still out there.
Splash was the miniature horse's name. He was 7-years-old. On Feb. 9, Splash was attacked by two pit bulls in his family's pasture on the west side of Fayetteville.
A neighbor called the family home, after finding Splash lying in the roadway. Fowler said Splash looked as if he'd been shot in the face.
"His whole face was just literally ripped open. I could see all his teeth," said Fowler. "I could see all his teeth right through his whole cheekbones. Everything was missing. All the muscles were torn out of his face. Like I said, he was covered in blood."
Due to the extent of his injuries, a vet had to immediately euthanized the animal.
Witnesses say the owner of the two dogs had posted missing dog notices throughout the neighborhood.
"He comes and picks up two blood-covered dogs, and just takes them home," said Fowler. "And to me, my initial reaction is, weren't you concerned we were in the back of the neighborhood, that It could have been children?"
"This is a perfect example of irresponsible dog ownership," said Cumberland County Animal Control Director Dr. John Lauby. "When dogs get away from owners, they become pack animals and do pack behavior.
Animal control says the dogs are still on the loose according to all witness accounts.
That neighbor who called the family also notified the dogs' owner, who came and picked up the dogs.
Police say there are still witness statements to be gathered in their investigation.
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