Community Corner

Dogs Kill Cat, Bite Cop in Safety Harbor

A pair of dogs roaming a Safety Harbor neighborhood reportedly killed a cat and bit a Pinellas County Sheriff's deputy on Thursday.

Two dogs that were loose in a Safety Harbor neighborhood reportedly killed a cat and then bit a sheriff's deputy before being caught by Pinellas County Animal Services officers on Thursday.

The incident occurred on East Gate Drive, which is located off of Seventh Street South, near Safety Harbor City Park.

According to witnesses, the two dogs were roaming the neighborhood when they spotted the cat and chased it up a fence.

What happened then is not for the faint of heart.

"They spied this cat and they just took off like a flash and chased it up the fence," resident Frank Pattison told Patch.

"The cat was clinging to the top of the fence and the dogs were just jumping up at it, growling and barking and acting crazy."

Pattison said the dogs finally got a hold of the cat and ripped it down from the fence before eventually killing it.

"They ripped the cat apart and left it in the front yard," he said.

Pattison had already called 911 and animal services by the time the cat had been killed.

After the attack, the dogs wandered down the street, stopping in neighboring driveways and yards along the way, according to Pattison.

He said Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies arrived shortly afterward, and Pattison directed them toward the dogs.

"I pointed them in the direction of the dogs, and the deputy went after them in her cruiser," Pattison said.

"When I caught back up with them she had them cornered near the park. She got one into the cruiser and was trying to corral the other one when I left."

According to the sheriff's department, one deputy was bitten on the hand during the attempt to contain the dogs.

"One of our deputies arrived in reference to the animal call that two dogs were on the loose," sheriff's spokesperson Cristen Rensel said.

"One deputy was able to get the male dog into the patrol vehicle. That dog did bite Deputy Michael Weaver on the hand at some point."

Rensel said Weaver was treated for the bite and released from a local hospital after the incident.

She identified the dog that bit the deputy as a male, red-nosed pit bull.

According to an official at Pinellas County Animal Services, which took in both animals, the dog that bit the officer has been identified and is currently in the process of being quarantined.

"We have verified with the family that the dog is properly licensed and is up-to-date on all its shots," enforcement manager Doug Brightwell said.

"We are working with the family on the quarantine procedure now."

Brightwell said the process involves deciding where the dog should be placed in quarantine, during which time it cannot be walked or taken out in public without a leash for a period of 10 days.

He said the quarantine could take place at the owner's home or at the animal services facility.

In addition to the quarantine process, which will help determine whether the dog has rabies or any other diseases, the case will be turned over to the organization's dangerous dog investigator due to the nature of the incident.

"We turn any cases where a dog bites a human over to our dangerous dog investigator," Brightwell said. "After an investigation, we will determine whether or not it should be classified as a dangerous dog."

Brightwell said to his knowledge there had been no previous incidents involving this particular animal on record.

He also said the two dogs have separate owners and they are still trying to find the owners of the other dog, which he classified as a retriever mix.

Patch is attempting to contact the owners of the cat in order to get their side of the story.

We will also follow up any additional developments regarding the dogs and the deputies involved in the incident as soon as information becomes available.


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