A Plantation man hacked his mobile home neighbor's pit bull to death with a machete from Walmart and claimed self-defense.
According to Plantation Police, the man, Hilton Henry, 77, says the dog was attacking his cats before turning on him.
The dog's owner says the dog didn't deserve to be killed this way.
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The 10-year-old pit bull, Bo, was apparently running loose throughout the Sunshine Ranches Mobile Home Park in Plantation on Monday when it wandered into the backyard of Henry's trailer.
Henry says Bo attacked cats that live underneath the trailer and then turned his sights on the man. Henry says Bo lunged at his leg.
Henry then pulled out a machete and swung at Bo twice, the fatal blow coming at the dog's throat.
"It's the cats or the dog," he told the Sun Sentinel. "I have to do something about it. I can't let him kill my cats. I got in front of him. He came at me. It's me or the dog. I got to stop him. I whacked him a couple times, and that was it."
Bo's owner, Mike Switz, found out about the attack Monday afternoon. He was able to collect Bo's body in a garbage bag and bury him in the family's backyard.
Switz, who had Bo since he was a pup, has had troubles with Henry in the past.
Back in April, Henry confronted the dog with a flashlight when it wandered into his backyard. Switz was given a verbal warning by police because the dog had been allowed to wander, according to a police report.
On Monday, a news crew from WSVN went to interview Switz when the camera caught a heated confrontation between the two men.
"You killed my dog," Switz yells at Henry over the fence that divides their trailer homes. "You took a machete to my dog's fucking head, you fucking lowlife."
"You better run, because I am going to kill you," Switz continued.
"He was killing my cats," Henry says back at the camera.
"You killed my fucking dog with a machete," Switz said, pointing at Henry. "I am going to come back with you."
"You're gonna kill me?" asked Henry.
"No, I'm not going to kill you, but you're going to pay."
"You're gonna kill me?"
"No, I am going to sue you."
"You're suing me?"
"I'm going to sue you."
"You just said you are going to kill me."
"No, I'm going to sue you. I am going to sue you for every penny you're worth. I will own this fucking trailer."
According to Fort Lauderale Police, Henry is not facing any charges because he killed the animal on his property and claimed self-defense.
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