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Updated: 11:59 PM Nov 18, 2008
Dunbar K-9 Escapes Handler's Kennel, Shot by Neighbor
A Dunbar Police K-9 dog was shot and killed Monday evening after it fought with its handler's neighbor's dog in a rural part of Kanawha County, according to Police Chief Earl Whittington. Posted: 4:34 PM Nov 18, 2008Reporter: Mike Waterhouse Email Address: mike.waterhouse@wsaz.com |
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DUNBAR, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A Dunbar Police K-9 dog was shot and killed Monday evening after it fought with its handler's neighbor's dog in a rural part of Kanawha County, according to Police Chief Earl Whittington.
The incident happened at about 6:50 p.m. Monday near Sergeant R.O. Conley's home in Tornado.
Chief Whittington tells WSAZ.com that the dog, Sgt. Angus, somehow escaped from his kennel about 45 minutes to an hour after Sgt. Conley brought him home and secured him in his cage.
The cage was not fully enclosed, but Whittington says it could not have been easy for the dog to get out through a small crawl space. He says Angus has no history of trying to escape the enclosure and believes something likely provoked the dog.
Angus then started chasing Conley's neighbor's dog and fought with it on the neighbor's property. Whittington says the neighbor came out and tried to break up the fight, but when Angus made an aggressive move toward him, he shot the dog twice with a shotgun, killing him.
The neighbor then called the police to alert them of the situation. He told investigators he didn't know it was a K-9 dog and was apologetic.
The neighbor's dog was bitten during the fight and the neighbor had some minor cuts.
Whittington says he doesn't blame Conley's neighbor for trying to protect himself.
"This is a bad loss for the city, bad loss for the handler," said Whittington. "Sad, sad situation."
Sgt. Angus had been with the Dunbar Police Department for the past two years and has gone through extensive training. He was assigned to Sgt. Conley his entire time with the department and was cross-trained in both narcotics and patrol.
"Sgt. Angus was 2 1/2 years old and was a very hard working canine and had quite a reputation for his keen senses and ability to find narcotics," said Whittington. "This K-9 team was very dedicated to the protection of the citizens of Dunbar."
Whittington says the city only had liability coverage on its insurance for Angus, not mortality -- so the city won't be able to recover costs associated with the K-9.
The city's one other K-9, a relative of Angus, is also cross-trained. Whittington says he's looking to get mortality insurance for that dog, and will begin looking for a replacement for Angus.
He says Conley was very upset after learning about his dog.
"It is very unfortunate that this situation has happened. Sgt. Angus will be sadly missed," said Whittington.
The Kanawha County Sheriff's Department is handling the investigation.
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Latest Comments
To: To Concerned on Nov 29, 2008 at 01:42 PM. How do you explain people being able to pet a police dog then? Police brought dogs in to search at my school several times and many people petted the dog. Real vicous huh? The dogs just don't go around attacking everyone. That is why the trainers are trained to work with the dogs. They are able to pep the dog up and get it to attack. This dog was going on pure animal instinct. Dogs fight all the time and there is no proof that he acted aggressive to the property owner. After he killed the dog of course he is going to say that to justify his actions. That doesn't mean it is true.
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They must have quit updating the comments on this story...
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Concerned you are simply ignorant and have no clue about what you are jabbering. Read THE WARNING WRITTEN ON THE K-9 TRANSPORT VEHICLES. Think the officers are going to sic the dog on you just for walking close to the car or looking in? The dogs are TRAINED to BE AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS HUMANS and to obey the handler. (Some are even aggressive towards the handlers.) These are ANIMALS not machines, their PREDATOR instincts are honed and encouraged, thus they CANNOT be allowed the same freedoms most dogs enjoy. They are a HUGE legal liability. HE DIDN’T NEED A COMMAND TO ATTACK. He was off-leash, he was TRAINED and ENCOURAGED TO ATTACK HUMANS, and that is what he did. A VERY DANGEROUS ANIMAL was NOT SECURED. You don’t know anything about attack dogs, and have never worked with such dogs, nor assisted in surgery following the aftermath of such attacks. The neighbor’s dog would have been severely injured or killed. Either way: The DANGEROUS DOG, which WAS NOT SECURED, acted aggressively towards a human AS IT WAS TRAINED TO DO, and the human responsibly SHOT IT! The neighbor did NOT over react at all. He reacted the same as police officers would have done to YOUR DOG in YOUR YARD if they “felt threatened” if they came to your house (even if they were at the wrong address). The neighbor treasured his life and the life of HIS DOG which was maliciously attacked by an UNSECURED ATTACK DOG. The officer should be sued as well as the department for the negligence.
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