LAUDERHILL, FLA. (WSVN) - A dog was shot dead by a neighbor after the animal bit the owner’s girlfriend while fighting another dog in Lauderhill.
7News cameras captured the pet’s owner as he cradled the animal outside his home along Northwest 11th Place and 47th Avenue, Monday afternoon.
“Two of my animals are back there. Unfortunately, they got into an altercation, which happens with dogs, and I have to be very honest, but he had no reason to go back there and shoot my dog,” he said.
The dog’s owner said his girlfriend was trying to break up the dogfight when one of the canines bit her in the hand, and that’s when his neighbor came over toting a gun.
Area resident Rasheem Alphonso said he heard the altercation.
“While I was in the house, I heard a commotion going on, and I heard like a woman screaming, heard apparently dog attacking another dog, and then I heard the shot,” he said.
“It wasn’t even my near neighbor. He wasn’t in my backyard. He came from two blocks over, to come over and then try to intervene, and then just randomly shot a dog and disappeared,” said the dog’s owner. “He didn’t even stay on the scene; that’s cowardly.”
The dog’s owner said his trigger-happy neighbor was reckless and had no right to shoot his dog, who was in his backyard and not a threat to anyone.
“That dog had no intentions of harming him. The dog wasn’t even involved in the altercation that took place,” he said. “He just went back there and shot a dog for no reason.”
7News cameras captured police officers outside the home while they investigated.
The dog’s owner said his concern is currently his girlfriend, who was transported to a local hospital with a severe but not life-threatening hand injury.
“She called me. She’s doing OK. She’s a little shaken up by it, and she’ll be all right. I’m more worried about her than I am the dog,” he said. “I’m infuriated that I lost my dog, and I’m most definitely going to pursue charges, but she’s my first priority, so I’m on my way to go check on her.”
The couple has since returned from the hospital. The girlfriend appears to be OK.
As of Monday night, there was no word as to whether any charges had been filed.
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