An Anne Arundel County police officer shot and killed a family dog while canvassing a neighborhood in a burglary investigation.
The officer was investigating a burglary in the 900 block of Lombardee Circle in Pasadena, Md., on Saturday evening when he was confronted by a dog in front of a home. The officer fired two shots and a Chesapeake Retriever, Vern, was killed.
Chief of Police Kevin Davis said a full investigation would take place and understands this is a traumatic event for the family of the dog and for the officer. He visited the home to express his sympathies to the family.
"My deepest condolences go out to the family of Vern during this extremely difficult time", said Anne Arundel County Police Chief Kevin Davis. "I personally met with the family at their residence to let them know that our department will be conducting an internal investigation into the incident to ensure that all of the pertinent facts are known, and to advance discussions regarding best practices for law enforcement when encountering animals."
The owner of the dog took custody of the remains. The officer was not named.
