Keystone Cop - Page 1

http://thecalifornian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080821/NEWS01/808210311/1002

The shooting death of a rottweiler that attacked its master during a dog fight Tuesday night underscores the need to introduce pets to each other properly, an animal welfare official said Wednesday. 

The attack happened after an off-duty Salinas police officer introduced a newly acquired pet rottweiler to his German shepherd - an established family pet - and the two large-breed dogs began to fight at the officer's home.

While trying to break up the dogs, the officer was attacked by the rottweiler, which he then tried unsuccessfully to shoot, police said. A witness called police, and when officers arrived, the rottweiler began to attack them, so they opened fire and killed the animal, police said.

The off-duty officer sustained serious injuries from

dog bites to both hands, police said. He was treated and released from a local hospital but is not expected to return to duty for several weeks, police said.

Gary Tiscornia, executive director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Monterey County, said it's good to introduce dogs in a neutral place where neither canine is likely to be territorial.

"You don't introduce dogs in the home," he said, "and the last thing you want to do is to put your hands in the middle of a fight."

Tiscornia said a dog that would not ordinarily attack a person won't distinguish between a human and a dog when engaged in a fight.

"In a dog-fight situation, it doesn't necessarily mean you have a vicious dog," he said.

When two dogs are fighting, it's best to spray them with a hose, use a chair to break them up or "any other inanimate object that you don't mind having destroyed," Tiscornia said.

In Tuesday's situation, he said, it might have been better to get the Salinas Animal Shelter involved. Tiscornia said animal control officers are trained in handling violent animals.

He said these officers use a control stick - a long metal tube with a plastic wire loop inside - to capture an aggressive animal.

However, Tiscornia said he doesn't believe Salinas police were in the wrong when they shot and killed the violent dog.

"If you're being attacked by a large and mean dog, shooting it may be appropriate," he said.

Dealing with vicious dogs is not uncommon for Salinas police, and officers use lethal force only when an animal poses an immediate threat, Cmdr. Terry Heffington said.

Heffington - who describes herself as an animal lover - said when dealing with a vicious dog police shoot to kill.

"If an officer is forced to shoot an animal, then we want to put it out of its misery so it doesn't suffer," she said.

Poor Rottweiler. The comments under the news story were disturbing though. People are just stupid!

Especially the one that says "Stupid guy shouldn't have had a GSD and a Rottweiler anyways" ....

I have friends who own both and have no problems with them getting along.

I think the guy was stupid because he probably was.

Or very nieve.

JMO.

It's so sad to see yet another dog die because of human ignorance.  I think if you are going to own a large breed dog, you should know what you are getting into and learn to handle situations like this before they arrise.

(Shit happens).......................