A Kentucky police officer says he had to shoot and kill a loose dog after it attacked him, biting his hand.
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While assisting animal control with two roaming dogs on the street, a pit bull mix reportedly “attacked” an officer, according to the Hopkinsville Police Department, per local news station FOX 17.
According to police, the officer was bitten on the hand and had to shoot the animal to stop the attack. The pit bull mix succumbed to its injuries.
The Hopkinsville officer received treatment at a hospital and returned to work the following day.
According to Hopkinsville Police, the dog that was killed belonged to a home displaying a “Beware of Dog” sign. However, both dogs were reportedly roaming in public without any supervision from their owner.
Police reported numerous calls for assistance linked to the home of the deceased dog, citing concerns about animals found “emaciated” and tied up in the front yard. These service calls date as far back as 2019.
The Pit Bull Dog the Officer Shot Reportedly Hadn’t Been Vaccinated for Rabies
After further investigation, police determined that the dog had not received its rabies vaccination, according to WKDZ. The owner, 68-year-old Shirley Shelton, was cited for multiple violations, including allowing pets to roam freely, harboring a dangerous animal, and failing to ensure the dog was vaccinated against rabies.
The incident follows a tragic run in with a pit bull earlier this month.
Michael Millett, an 8-year-old boy, tragically lost his life on Monday, January 13, following a dog attack just north of DeLand, Florida. According to a statement from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, deputies and Volusia County Animal Services officers responded to the incident, capturing the dogs involved. The animals were placed in quarantine.
One of the dogs, a pit bull, weighed 70 pounds.
The boy was biking with a friend when they saw two dogs near their subdivision entrance. Michael approached to pet them, Sheriff Mike Chitwood said during a press conference.
“At that point, Michael is maliciously mauled, brutally mauled, and killed at the scene,” Sheriff Chitwood explained.
During the attack, Michael’s mother rushed to help, pleading for assistance, according to Sheriff Chitwood. The dogs did not attack her but stayed nearby as she screamed for help.
Authorities found that the dogs have a history of trouble in the community. Chitwood said they often roamed freely and had previously killed chickens.
“Clearly, this didn’t just happen in a vacuum, these dogs have been terrorizing the neighborhood for a while,” Chitwood added.
Regan Blessinger from the Humane Society of Tampa Bay addressed the stigmas surrounding pit bulls following the tragedy.
“This isn’t a breed problem. This is that specific dog and that specific owner’s problem, and there are really good dogs of those breeds out there that would never do anything like this,” Blessinger told ABC affiliate WFTS.