In Williamsburg, Virginia the owner of a pit bull is upset that a police officer shot his dog, but the officer claims that the dog attacked him.
Robert Asbury said that the dog was not on a leash, but it was not acting aggressively towards the officer. Asbury allegedly called out to the 1-year-old dog to “Stop”, but claims that the dog could not hear him because the officer was yelling and being aggressive. That’s when the officer shot and wounded the pit bull in the jaw and is now recovering at a veterinary in Richmond.
Asbury says that the officer could have used a taser or mace to ward off the dog. There is an escalation-of-force policy that deals with aggressive people in which pepper spray or tasers can be used, but for animals there is no policy other than a “general use of force”.
Pit bulls are widely known to be an aggressive breed of dog with a “hold and shake” bite style. It’s been said that a pit bull’s aggression is unpredictable and that it may not growl, bare its teeth or offer a direct stare before it strikes. DogsBite.org, a group dedicated to reducing dog attacks, analyzed data from 88 dog bite fatalities between 2006-2008. They reported that 19 dog breeds were involved in these dog bite deaths and pit bulls accounted for 59% of the incidents.
If you have been attacked by a pit bull or an aggressive dog, don’t hesitate to consult with a Richmond dog bite attorney to help you with your case.
