Dog Shot After Alleged Attack on Family Pet, Child Nearby

A family says they had no choice but to shoot a neighbor's dog after it allegedly attacked their pet and then moved toward their young child. The dog survived the shooting and was taken to a veterinarian for treatment. Deputies responded to an animal complaint after receiving a report that a dog had been shot during an attack at a neighboring home. According to the report, a woman told deputies her neighbor's dog entered her property while her own dog was secured on a dog run in the yard. She said the loose dog attacked her family's restrained dog as her young son was playing outside nearby. The incident occurred in the Proctorville area. The woman told deputies she immediately picked up her child while the attack was unfolding. According to sworn statements, her fiancé warned the dog's owner to move back as she attempted to retrieve the animal. When the attack continued, he fired his legally owned handgun, striking the dog twice and stopping the attack. Deputies then went to the neighboring residence, where they found the injured dog inside the home. According to the report, the dog's owner said her boyfriend was transporting the animal to a veterinarian for emergency treatment. She also provided deputies with a written statement about what had happened. Deputies reminded the owner that the dog must remain restrained whenever it is outside the residence. Written statements were collected from everyone involved, including the dog's owner and the family whose pet was attacked. No criminal charges were filed, and deputies took no further action at the scene. What Ohio Law Says About Dangerous Dogs Ohio law generally requires dog owners to keep their animals under reasonable control and prevents dogs from running at large. State law also allows a person to use force—including, in some circumstances, deadly force—to protect themselves, another person, or domestic animals from an imminent attack by a dog. Whether that use of force is legally justified depends on the specific facts of each case and is evaluated by law enforcement during the investigation. In this case, deputies documented statements from all parties before clearing the incident without filing charges.

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