Now first of all theres two sides to every story but this is mine. January 2, 2022 I was walking my Golden Doodle Star through our RV Park. We walk long distance most day as much as 7 miles but try to average 5 miles. She and I have covered close to 2000 miles in our three years together, Well as we are strolling at a good pace I heard a dog start barking and look up and see a little dog and her owner and the owner had a 3ft oak baton in his hand. As we strolled by man and dog Star is slightly behind me at the moment and she stops. I stop too and turn my head and look to see whats up and in my horror this guy is striking Star once and pulling back after that hit and swings again and strikes her and she jumps at least 18 inches away as I'm moving to disarm this idiot and also grad his shirt collor to rake his tail over the coals.
I was so mad I don't know exactly what I said but I give him a s piece of my mind and pushed him off and took the baton with me and cut it in half. Short time late sheriff shows up and I;m telling him what happen on my part and after I finish he says to my wife and I the guy had the right to hit my dog all he wanted and theres nothing we can do about it and that I was going to be arrested account the guy was over 65 and I said I'm 66. Next we noticed a guy walking towards us and he comes up to the officer and says, sir I witnessed the whole thing and Rush did nothing wrong that other fellow struck his dog numerous times and if it been him he would have beat the guys tail.
Well the officer tell the guy if thats it then have a good day. He doesn't take a statement of nothing. I don't get locked up but two weeks later I get a notice to appear in court. I have been charged with Battery misdemeanor. Have been getting court put off for now 10 months now for reason of ours. Its now come to time for us to handle this. First thing it cost out of pocket $10000 dolllars for a lawyer. The eyewitness has come down with prostrate cancer and he is going through treatments. Luckily he has commented to helping me out even in his state of health. God Bless him.
We hope to go in front of a jury to have this case tried. Guys I was trying to do the right thing and not harm him just cussed him out. He called the EMS and they weren't there 5 mins. after they found out he had struck my dog. They took his vital and he had no marks of him.
After the law had left that day and I went to talk to the eyewitness and he assured me that he would testify if it went to trial account of he was a dog owner and he says to me , Rush that guy hit your dog several times before you turned around. I said then I don't no longer feel bad about what I did them .
For those of you that pray I ask for your prayers in dealing with the State of Florida on this. Be careful out there this world has gone crazy for sure.