Danville police kill dog with Taser

DANVILLE -- For the second time in less than three months, Danville police have killed a dog.

Police issued a news release saying a pit bull attacking other dogs died after officers used a Taser on it Wednesday. The dog's owner was charged with four counts of having an unlicensed dog and three counts of having an unvaccinated dog.

On June 8, a Danville officer fired a single gunshot that killed an 11-year-old miniature dachshund that was growling at him. Police Chief Philip A. Broadfoot initially said the officer had acted in accordance with department policy, but the chief later fired the officer after saying an investigation did not support the officer's version of events that preceded the shooting.

In the latest case, the police news release said officers responding to a call about a dog chasing people found a pit bull running loose and learned that the owner had already pepper-sprayed it.

Officers chained the dog behind its owner's house with three other pit bulls. But the pit bull got loose and attacked one of the other chained dogs, according to the release.

Police used pepper spray to stop the attack, and the dog ran away and attacked another one of the chained dogs. The family member couldn't separate the dogs, and police used a Taser on both of them, the release said.

The chained dog recovered, but the attacking dog died within seconds, according to the release.

The Danville Area Humane Society seized two of the chained pit bulls. A family member took the third chained dog to receive treatment for its wounds.