Retired Police Dog Attacks Man Trying To Feed It, Is Euthanized
In an unfortunate incident, a retired police dog was euthanized by authorities after the animal mauled and dragged a young man who tried to feed it. According to the Los Angeles Times, the incident reportedly happened in Eastvale City, Riverside County, California.
Describing the incident, John Welsh, spokesman for the Riverside County Animal Services Department said that the victim spotted the animal, a stray German Shepherd, wandering in an Eastvale neighborhood at around 11 p.m., on Sunday. The dog was not in great shape and was visibly hungry. Feeling sorry for the animal, the man brought it a bowl of water to drink. The dog did not show any sign of aggression during this time and drank the water from the bowl as well. The dog then placed its paws on the man’s chest and suddenly attacked him. Before the man was able to react, the dog managed to bite his left bicep, taking out a chunk of flesh. The victim was then dragged into the street by the powerful dog.
Hearing the commotion and the man’s screams for help, friends and family members arrived on the scene and made several attempts to free the man from the dog’s grip. In desperation, some of the family members grabbed steak knives from their homes and repeatedly stabbed the dog. Others tried punching and kicking the dog without much effect. The injured dog finally let go after it was repeatedly stabbed.
The victim of the attack is said to be a 20-year-old man whose identity has not been revealed by authorities. Apart from injuries to his left bicep, the man also suffered bites to his left leg and ankle. The extent of his injuries, however, is not known at this time. He was quickly moved to a local hospital where he is undergoing treatment now.
When Animal Control officers arrived for an investigation, the victim’s uncle told an officer that they were left with “no choice but to start stabbing the dog in order to get the dog to stop attacking.”
The animal, which was badly injured was then taken away by animal control officers. One of the officers who took custody of the dog was officer Will Luna, who added that the dog did not show any aggression when he tried to take it away.
“That dog must have recognized me and uniform and as someone of authority. He didn’t show any aggression toward me at all.”
On further investigation, it became clear that the dog served with a Los Angeles County law enforcement agency. The animal was also microchipped, which is why its identity was easily established. The dog was subsequently euthanized by authorities because it was severely injured following the stabbing. However, questions are already being raised as to how a retired police dog ended up being a stray.
[Image Via Pixabay]
