Union City cop shoots pit bull that mauled smaller dog

Wednesday, June 29, 2011, 11:17 AM
Kate Kowsh/The Jersey Journal

Onlookers watch as firefighters prepare to clean the blood spot where Union City Police shot and killed a pit bull this afternoon on the 500 block of 39th Street in Union City yesterday.

Union City police officers shot and killed a pit bull they say mauled a smaller dog yesterday afternoon, officials said.
The smaller dog, which neighbors said was a black poodle, died from injuries it sustained in the attack, officials said.
?There were around 50 people around, so the cop had no choice,? said neighbor Kathie Pontus, who lives across the street from where the incident occurred. ?He (the officer) had to shoot the dog.?

Neighbors, she said, feared this pit bull. ?We know the dog. It?s mean.?

The smaller dog was not on a leash when it exited a building at 533 39th St. at around 4 p.m., police said.
The pit bull, which was leashed, attacked the smaller dog, police said.

In an effort to drive the pit bull off her dog, the owner of the smaller dog stabbed the pit bull at least three times, according to police.

Police officers responding to a report of a gas smell at that address saw the scene unfolding and got out of their police cruiser to assist.

?He (the police officer) attempted to kick the dog in order for him to release the smaller dog,? Police Capt. Emilio Gonzalez said at the scene. ?That didn?t work. He was forced to shoot the animal three times.?

No charges were filed against any of the dog owners. The owner of the smaller dog was not given a citation because she was hurriedly exiting the building because she smelled gas, police said.

Reports of gas escaping at the building were not confirmed, police said.