What is a dog's life worth? Apparently not much, it appears these days.

What is a certainty is we are hearing more and more horrific stories. Can you say Michael Vick? If he truly did the madness they say he visited upon those pit bulls, that knucklehead could not possibly serve enough jail time.

Who did not cringe at the exploits of Devin Shane Calhoun, a 35-year-old Conifer man now out on bail on charges he shot Lucky, the family dog, in an apparent rage on Aug. 12?

And why did he shoot Lucky?

The Jefferson County sheriff's deputy who came for him that night asked him the same thing. "Because he ate my food," was the man's simple reply.

According to the report, Lucky had taken his turn at the man's dinner plate after he got up and went outside the family's South Ridge Road home.

The man's wife told deputies their son hustled Lucky to his kennel inside the house and then told his father what the dog had done.

Deputies allege the man then fetched the dog, led him to a meadow near the house and put a slug in him.

Devin Shane Calhoun, out on $2,000 bail, is now charged with aggravated animal cruelty and prohibited use of a weapon. He faces a maximum 18 months in prison if convicted.

Lucky, quite clearly aptly named, is expected to make a full recovery.

The same day the story of Lucky broke, so did a ruling on the stabbing death of Ben Johnson's pit bull, Mac, last month at a Broomfield dog park.

Many people know of this story. I think I have heard from most of them. Some called fully in tears.

Seventeenth Judicial District Attorney Don Quick on Tuesday ruled Jeffrey David Black was justified in stabbing the pit bull to death, concluding he acted to save the life of his dog, Spike, "and avoid serious injuries to himself and others."

The two men had taken their dogs to Broomfield Commons Dog Park on July 30. Two witnesses said Mac bit Spike on the throat and refused to let go. It was at that point that Jeffrey Black pulled a pocketknife and stabbed the pit bull several times before slitting its throat twice. Mac died en route to a veterinarian.

In his letter to Broomfield police, Don Quick said varied witness statements made it impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that killing the pit bull was unnecessary.

"This was a tragic event for everyone involved," his letter concluded.

In an interview, Don Quick said he took pains to look at all of the evidence and witness statements before making a decision. "We realized a drastic action had been taken. We wanted to determine whether the killing was needless. We were satisfied that it wasn't."

"And frankly," he added, "we did worry about the reaction of the community over what occurred, the message our decision would send. The last thing we want is for dog owners to resolve things this way."

Of Ben Johnson, he said, "I've got real compassion for that pit bull owner."

Attempts to reach Jeffrey Black were unsuccessful.

In an interview, a resigned Ben Johnson, 24, shrugged and said, "What can you do?

"People are saying my dog attacked the other dog, and that is just upsetting. Mac did no such thing."

Quick's investigation arrived at a different conclusion, saying that it was clear that the pit bull had the Doberman by the neck and wouldn't let go.

Ben Johnson continues to insist his dog was profiled, that all people saw was that Mac was a pit bull, that he must have been the aggressor.

It is what he believes accounts for witness statements that Mac had also harassed other dogs that day in the park.

"What upsets me the most is my dog will now go down forever as a bad dog, and he was anything but that," Ben Johnson said.

He has not been back to Commons Dog Park with his 3-year-old Labrador, Jersey, he said. He cannot bear it.

He and a friend were at a dog park closer to his Thornton home two days ago, he said, when they saw two other dogs begin fighting. There was yelling. And soon, he said, a man pulled a knife from his pocket, though he never used it.

"I left right away. I don't think I will ever go back to any dog park," he said. "People will do things without thinking."

Has he heard from Jeffrey Black?

Ben Johnson shakes his head.

"I don't want to hear from him. What would I say to him?

"I'm not mad, I'm not a vengeful person. The DA had to keep things fair. I wish (the decision) had gone the other way, and it did take three weeks to make. It was probably right on the line. He did the best he could."

"I had Mac for four years," Ben Johnson said. "I'm glad for that. Nobody can ever take that from me."

johnsonw@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2763

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