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By Richard Kerns
rkerns@newstribune.info
tribune staff writer
KEYSER — Keyser City Police nearly shot a threatening dog that got loose Friday afternoon, with the animal control officer arriving in time to tranquilize the animal before officers had to use their sidearms.
As a result of 5:14 p.m. incident on Sharpless
Street, Cathy Sue Willis, 48, of Keyser, was charged with having a dog running at large. She had previously been cited in 2005 and 2008 for noisy dogs, police said.
“We have responded to numerous complaints about the dog running loose,” police said.
In addition to the city charges, Mineral County Humane Officer Jim Hawk plans to charge Willis with maintaining a vicious dog and failure to obtain property registration tags. Hawk said the vicious dog charge, according to the law, is based on an owner who knowingly keeps a dog that has attacked or attempted to attack people. Friday's incident met that standard.
"It came at the police officers and it came at me," Hawk said of the animal, which he described as a boxer/pit bull mix.
According to Keyser Police, officers responded to the 20 block of Sharpless Street to a report of a dog that had jumped the fence and was roaming the neighborhood, chasing people. Officers couldn't get close enough to the dog to restrain it, nor could the animal control officer snare the animal.
Police said the dog acted aggressively and turned on the officers.
“They thought they would have to shoot it,” police said.
Instead, the animal control officer used a tranquilizer dart to subdue the animal, which was then taken to the pound. The animal has since been returned to its owner.
Hawk said he based the vicious dog charge on Friday's incident as well as a similar episode about a month ago when the animal also got loose and came at him and responding officers in a similar manner. He said nearby residents are "definitely" justified in being concerned for their safety.
"She's got a wooden fence but the dog just keeps jumping out," Hawk said. "She needs to tie it up."
Hawk said it will fall to the judicial system to determine whether the animal is confiscated and destroyed. "That's up to the judge to decide," he said. "After one or two times, I'd say it's going to happen."
Beyond the noise complaints handled by city police, Hawk said he and law enforcement officers have been to the residence "nine or 10 times" over the past few years. He said the dog is a "rescue dog" that was taken from an abusive environment.
"I know what she's trying to do, but it's not working," Hawk said.
Reached at her home Monday afternoon, Willis denied that her dog is vicious. "Anyone can come visit her and see how nice the dog is," she said.
Willis criticized Keyser Police, saying they over-reacted by sending multiple officers to Friday's incident. She said the matter should have been handled by the animal control officer alone. "You don't send five cops out, that's why she felt threatened," Willis said.
By Richard Kerns
rkerns@newstribune.info
tribune staff writer
KEYSER — Keyser City Police nearly shot a threatening dog that got loose Friday afternoon, with the animal control officer arriving in time to tranquilize the animal before officers had to use their sidearms.
As a result of 5:14 p.m. incident on Sharpless
Street, Cathy Sue Willis, 48, of Keyser, was charged with having a dog running at large. She had previously been cited in 2005 and 2008 for noisy dogs, police said.
“We have responded to numerous complaints about the dog running loose,” police said.
In addition to the city charges, Mineral County Humane Officer Jim Hawk plans to charge Willis with maintaining a vicious dog and failure to obtain property registration tags. Hawk said the vicious dog charge, according to the law, is based on an owner who knowingly keeps a dog that has attacked or attempted to attack people. Friday's incident met that standard.
"It came at the police officers and it came at me," Hawk said of the animal, which he described as a boxer/pit bull mix.
According to Keyser Police, officers responded to the 20 block of Sharpless Street to a report of a dog that had jumped the fence and was roaming the neighborhood, chasing people. Officers couldn't get close enough to the dog to restrain it, nor could the animal control officer snare the animal.
Police said the dog acted aggressively and turned on the officers.
“They thought they would have to shoot it,” police said.
Instead, the animal control officer used a tranquilizer dart to subdue the animal, which was then taken to the pound. The animal has since been returned to its owner.
Hawk said he based the vicious dog charge on Friday's incident as well as a similar episode about a month ago when the animal also got loose and came at him and responding officers in a similar manner. He said nearby residents are "definitely" justified in being concerned for their safety.
"She's got a wooden fence but the dog just keeps jumping out," Hawk said. "She needs to tie it up."
Hawk said it will fall to the judicial system to determine whether the animal is confiscated and destroyed. "That's up to the judge to decide," he said. "After one or two times, I'd say it's going to happen."
Beyond the noise complaints handled by city police, Hawk said he and law enforcement officers have been to the residence "nine or 10 times" over the past few years. He said the dog is a "rescue dog" that was taken from an abusive environment.
"I know what she's trying to do, but it's not working," Hawk said.
Reached at her home Monday afternoon, Willis denied that her dog is vicious. "Anyone can come visit her and see how nice the dog is," she said.
Willis criticized Keyser Police, saying they over-reacted by sending multiple officers to Friday's incident. She said the matter should have been handled by the animal control officer alone. "You don't send five cops out, that's why she felt threatened," Willis said.
