Police have seized an American Bully dog which savaged a veteran police horse in a park, as its owner insisted the pet acted in self-defence when "intimidated".
The dog, an American Bully named Coco, suddenly rounded on the horse for around five minutes, leaving it needing stitches.
Officers asked the owner to try and intervene, but Hakan Niyazi, 24, appeared to stand by and do nothing during the incident in Victoria Park, east London.
Mr Niyazi now fears the family pet, which was seized by officers, will be destroyed.
Niyazi told MailOnline that the incident in Victoria Park, Hackney, London, on Wednesday, has been "over exaggerated".
He said: "My dog has believed the horse is trying to attack it and as a defence mechanism has kind of tried to stick up for itself. Because it's a police horse it has become over exaggerated.
"The dog has been seized by the police. They are probably going to have it put down."
A Met Police spokesman said a dog was seized in Victoria Park on Wednesday and remained in police kennels.
In footage of the incident, officers can be heard shouting "get the dog," "get on with it" and "get it now" as they tried to get the creature under control.
Mr Niyazi previously said Coco is "so friendly" and claimed he couldn't understand what had happened - as she has been around horses before.
But a witness described what happened as "shocking and scary".
She said: "I spotted the dog and the body language was way too interested in the horses and was going over to antagonise them.
"The officers were trying to get the owner to get the dog under control and secured."
The witness, who could not intervene because she was trying to get her own dog under control, said another person bravely stepped in to grab the dog from attacking 'Urbane' the horse.
Mr Niyazi, who was allegedly heard saying "just take the dog," apparently took his time to come and collect the perilous pooch.
He later defended the dog and said she was "intimidated" by the horse and felt "threatened".
He said he wanted the matter to go to court, so he could have his say. This kind of incident had never happened before, he claimed, adding that he know knew not to take Coco off a lead.
Mr Niyazi lives in with his brother in a housing association flat just yards from Victoria Park.
Neighbours have said they had raised concerns over anti-social behaviour and said tenants in the block of flats were not allowed to keep dogs without special permission.
A sign in the window of the brother's ground floor flat read: "Beware. Wild animal Inside."
Police warned people about keeping their dogs on lead when near mounted officers
A spokesperson for The Met said: "On Wednesday, March 22 a dog was seized in Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets, after it attacked a police horse.
"The horse required stitches and is expected to return to duty following its recovery.
"The dog remains in police kennels and officers are in contact with its owner.
"No arrests have been made. Enquiries continue."
The Met previously said: "PH Urbane from Bow was attacked by a dog off the lead in Victoria Park yesterday.
"We can’t stress enough how important it is to keep dogs on a lead if you can’t recall them or get them under control."
Police added that Urbane is now getting some well-earned rest after the traumatic ordeal.
"He has been to the vets and is having some well-earned recuperation," they said.
"He will hopefully be back on duty as soon as he has fully recovered but not before."
