Orlando man accused of stabbing dog to death

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - An Orlando woman says a dog she was watching was stabbed to death by her neighbor, who is now charged with animal cruelty.

"I was screaming for help and not a single person came. So I thought if anyone could contain the Mastiff, it would be his master."

Ashton Gochenaur says she was trying to break up a fight between two dogs named Tiger and Thor. Ashton had been watching Tiger for a friend, letting him play in this fenced in area, when she says Thor came into her yard.

"As soon as I let him out, he jumped over the fence and went right for Tiger's neck."

So Ashton screamed to Thor's owner, Ben Klongerbo, who lives a few houses away, to intervene.

According to deputies, Klongerbo separated the dogs and were no longer fighting. But that's when deputies say Ashton heard Klongerbo say in an "evil loud voice" that "this dog is dead," and raised the knife in the with the blade facing down towards Tiger and that's when he stabbed him.

"He had both dogs separated with his arm span, and then he kept saying, this dog is dead and was stabbing him," she said.  "Like like a flurry, it was all over in seconds. Over 11 stab wounds."

According to deputies, Tiger had over 10 stab wounds throughout his body, possibly more.

"I just can't believe it. He was family."

Aston says Tiger had been staying here for the last week, playing with toys.. He was only 10 months old.
　
Officers arrested Klongerbo and charged him with cruelty to animals.   He says Thor is like his son. He feels bad about what happened.

'I'm extremely sorry. I'm very sorry. It's heartbreaking, because this is like my baby, and I was so afraid," he said. "It's because of the adrenaline. I felt it was this dog or that dog, and I was afraid for his life, and I am so very sorry. If I could take it back, I would. I felt I was acting in self-defense of my dog. I was extremely afraid."

Ashton disagrees.

"It wasn't self-defense! That was homicide. Nothing short of it. I don't blame the dog, I blame the owner. The dog is doing what the dog does. It's the owner's job when you pick that breed to protect you and the public from that dog."