Sidney Police Chief William Balling issued a statement late Wednesday night about the fatal shooting of a dog by one of his officers to counter people he said were misrepresenting the truth on the internet.
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"This was a tragic event for the dog and the officer," Balling said in the statement.
A Sidney police officer, dispatched on a report that a black Chow was chasing people in the area of Grandview and Sophia avenues in Sidney, ended up shooting the dog to death when it "charged at the officer growling and baring his teeth," the chief said.
The officer, who has not been identified by name, tried to back away but the dog continued to charge at him trying to bite him, the chief said.
The officer observed the dog in the yard of the home in the 200 block of Sophie.
As the officer drove up, the dog started toward the cruiser and a woman came out of the house. The officer ordered the woman to put her dog in the house and told her he would need to talk to her after that. The woman went in the house and then returned to the porch.
The officer got out of his cruiser, walked toward the edge of the street and told the woman to keep her dog in the house. That's when the dog came rushing out of the house.
"The officer did not want to put the dog down, but was forced to by the actions of the dog and others. For anyone that cares for animals like the officer it can have a lasting effect,” Balling said in the statement.
“Unfortunately there are those that seek to misrepresent the truth or do not know the facts that are putting a different story out there are the internet."
Balling said he loves animals and wished the incident hadn't happened.
"I did not have to put out this release,” he said, “but I will not let people put out lies about what happened and tarnish the officer’s name and reputation when in fact he did the only thing that he could have done in this situation and not be harmed."
