FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – A Fort Lauderdale Police officer encountered danger on the job when he confronted a large stray dog that had entered a home and killed two pets, prompting the officer to open fire, authorities said.
Fort Lauderdale Police units responded to the home, located near Southwest Eighth Street and 28th Terrace, at around 7:40 a.m., Tuesday, following a call from a resident.
According to homeowner Henry Gonzalez, the resident who called 911 had just returned home from dropping her son off at school when the dog made its way into the home.
Investigators said the resident said the canine killed her rabbit and a cat once inside the residence.
Police said the dog also attempted to attack the woman but was unsuccessful.
When officers arrived, police said, the dog was outside the residence, still holding the rabbit in its mouth.
Detectives said the canine dropped the rabbit and bit an officer on the forearm, prompting the officer to discharge his firearm and strike the dog, authorities said.
“It’s a shame what has happened. The dog could have killed a small child,” Gonzalez told 7News in Spanish.
The dog fled but was located a few blocks away and seized by Broward County Animal Control. It has since died from the gunshot wound.
The officer was treated at Broward Health Medical Center for minor injuries.
No other injuries were reported.
The identity of the dog’s owner is unknown.
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department Animal Crimes Unit is investigating the incident.
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