Earlier this month we discussed a lawsuit stemming from a donkey attack in Florida. Now we have a report of an 8-year-old child attacked by a donkey in California.

"This child is lucky to be alive," Shasta County Animal Control supervisor Mayra Morris told Redding.com. "This wasn't a bite. This was a full-out attack."

According to the report, the boy entered the donkey's field while walking his dog. The donkey attacked the child, biting him repeatedly and causing extensive wounds on his legs, hands, stomach, and deep bites to his head.

Redding.com reported that the donkey and its owner have not been identified, but noted that the donkey will need to undergo a 14-day quarantine period to ensure it's not rabid.

They also noted that in 1988 a 6-year-old boy in the neighboring community of Cottonwood, Calif., was killed by a donkey when he and his brother took a shortcut through the animal's field.

Equine behaviorist Dr. Sue McDonnell recently tackled the issue of territorial long-ears for us. Read her thoughts on the matter.

Last year we reported on a service pony's recovery from a health crisis.

Well, Trixie the assistive guide pony--now fully recovered--is back in the news. Local TV station WFAA talked with Trixie's owner for a story on service animals that made it all the way to a national audience via ABC News. (There's a follow-up, too.)

Apparently the federal government is considering limiting the definition of service animals to dogs, as originally intended. That's pretty contentious. Those with service monkeys, ferrets, or ponies, say they rely on the animals to function in their daily lives. WFAA tells us that under the law, businesses must welcome all service animals or risk a discrimination lawsuit.

Readers of this blog are horse enthusiasts--but do even we want a pony walking the aisles of grocery stores? Where's the line?

Read about another type of guide horse and tell us--what do you think?