Howell officer shoots in pit bull attack, cops say

NEW JERSEY -- A township police officer shot a pit bull Wednesday night after he responded to a complaint and was himself attacked by the dog, police said.

The dog, named Bentley George, died while it was being taken to a veterinary hospital, according to Nina Bisozio, 24, the owner, who said the shooting was not justified, although she was not there when the shooting happened.

The dog was shot three times, and "this didn't have to happen," Bisozio said.

"What they (police) did was wrong. They could have shot my dog in the leg. You didn't need to shoot my dog," Bisozio said.

On Thursday, the shooting was investigated by Victor "Buddy" Amato, chief law enforcement officer for the Monmouth County SPCA, who said the use of deadly force by the officer was justified.

"At this point, I see there was no animal cruelty involved. Everyone feels bad about the situation. But the officer had no choice. It isn't something the officer wanted to happen. If I had been in his place, I would have done the same thing," Amato said.

He confirmed the dog was shot three times.

The shooting happened after 8 p.m. on Susan Court, according to police Detective Sgt. Eileen Dodd.

"A Howell Township officer who responded to a dog bite call was attacked by the dog, and he shot it," Dodd said.

The officer, who was not identified, was not injured, she said.

A woman who was visiting the home was attacked outside the house and bitten on her leg, Dodd said.

However, Bisozio said the woman — who was at the home at 5:45 p.m. to cut Bisozio's mother's hair — was scratched and not bitten.

"Bentley was not aggressive," Bisozio said.

When officer responded, the dog came out of an open garage door and went after him in front of the house, Dodd said.

 

"I'm not here to attack the police. But would Bentley still be alive if he had
been a lab or a golden retriever? Should cops have the right to shoot and
kill instead of using pepper spray?" - owner Nina Bisozio

Bisozio said she was not home when the shooting happened. She said the officer called her to tell her he had shot the dog.

"The officer knows who I am and he called to say he's sorry for shooting my dog. I'm hurt. I'm disappointed. If you are friendly with me, why couldn't you give me a simple heads-up and say, 'Hey, Nina, I have a call at your house about a dog attack,' " Bisozio said.

"This woman threw the word 'attack' out. The cop took it and ran with it, and killed my dog. And it was two hours after it happened. I said to my mom, 'Is this woman going to call the cops?' Then I get a call at 8:04 that my dog is shot.

"My dog is dead for no valid reason."

(APP.com - June 5, 2014)