An owner was forced to fatally shoot a dog in self-defense on January 23.
The fatal incident occurred in the 5000 block of Eisenhower Ave. in Alexandria. Animal control officers said the owner of the dog was moving the dog’s toy when the animal lunged at him. The man tried to restrain the dog during the attack and when unable to do so, instructed the co-owner, his girlfriend, to shoot the dog.
The Alexandria Times reported the dog was a pit-bull/Doberman mix. He suffered multiple bite wounds and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
According to the Animal Welfare League, after an investigation, authorities learned that the dog had a violent past. The dog had history of aggressive behavior, possessive behavior, and multiple incidents of biting, leading to several trips to the pound.
Animal control officers said when the Alexandria couple adopted the animal in August of 2011, nobody told them of the dog's behavioral history.
The Welfare League is contracted by Alexandria to conduct animal control for the city.
“This unfortunate incident highlights the importance of reporting all dog bites to animal control, regardless of severity,” says Joy Wilson, the director of Animal Control. “Dog bites do not result in automatic detainment of the animal. We’d rather have all of the facts and work with owners to prevent future safety risks.”
No charges have been filed by police or animal control at this time.
