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ST. GEORGE — Police tased a man’s dog earlier this month after it charged at two officers during a call, officials said.
The incident took place on May 3 about 6:24 a.m., St. George Police officials said Friday on Facebook.
Before officers arrived, a woman called 911 from the address but hung up. A taxi service also called dispatchers, saying they had been called to the same address to pick up an intoxicated man who was “beating up” the woman, police said.
A police officer arrived at a house where he could hear arguing, a dog barking and a woman yelling at a man to get out of her house. Police did not release the address of the house.
When the officer got to the front door, the woman opened it to leave the house, police said. The officer saw the man inside, later identified as Willie Mosher, grab the woman by the neck and waist and try to pull her back inside the house.
The dog, a large German shepherd, also ran out the door and tried to bite the officer on the right arm, police said. The officer was able to dodge out of the dog’s reach as it ran into the yard.
A few minutes later, a second officer arrived at the house. The dog, which was in the yard, ran up to the officer as he got out of the car and tried to bite him several times, police said.
Body camera footage from the officers, released by St. George Police, shows both officers repeatedly asking Mosher to grab the dog and control it.
Mosher fails to control the dog, and the first officer tases the dog about a minute after the second officer arrives, body camera footage shows. The dog runs off after the officer tases it, according to the footage.
Other officers monitored the dog until animal control personnel arrived, but the dog also was aggressive with them, as well as a student who was walking to school, police said.
An animal control officer eventually was able to capture the dog, police said.
The St. George City legal department reviewed the case and referred it to an administrative hearing, according to police. After reviewing evidence from all parties involved, a hearing examiner determined that the dog was vicious and should be euthanized.
City officials then requested a third-party animal behavioral expert assess the dog and determine the next course of action, police said.
“The City of St. George takes these incidents very seriously and will continue to do everything possible to ensure the safety of the public, our police officers and lives of the animals involved,” police officials said on Facebook.
