Boulder Police Release More Information About Dog Attack

BOULDER, Colo. – The Boulder Police Department is releasing new information about a dog attack that occurred yesterday in the city.

The first call to police came in at 8:17 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 28, from multiple neighbors who saw a dog attacking a man outside of a home in the 3200 block of Palo Parkway. The attack initially started inside the house before making its way outside. The man—who turned out to be the dog’s owner—was also trying to hold on to the dog so it would not attack anyone else. A neighbor stabbed the dog twice with kitchen knives before officers arrived, but the dog kept biting the victim.

As officers pulled up, they saw the dog mauling the man and tried to use a Taser to subdue it. The Taser was ineffective, and the dog then turned and began attacking the officer. The officer discharged his firearm, striking the dog several times. Officers began rendering medical aid to the victim, putting tourniquets on his arms that doctors later said saved his life. A minute later, the dog got up and charged at the officers a second time before it was shot again.

The victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition but today is in stable condition. BPD Animal Protection officers arrived on scene a short time later and euthanized the dog with an injection of Pentobarbital sodium due to the severity of his injuries. Animal Protection officers then transported the dog to Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital for a necropsy to rule out rabies, a brain tumor, accidental toxin ingestion and other possible environmental causes for the attack.

“This was a disturbing event for everyone involved and the mauling could have truly been much worse if not for our officer’s swift actions,” interim Chief Stephen Redfearn said. “Though we all love our animals here in Boulder, this dog posed a life-threatening risk to the man he was actively attacking as well as the multiple community members nearby, and we ultimately had to protect those lives first.”

Below is a screenshot and video from the officer’s car showing part of the encounter before the officer discharged his firearm:

Video link: https://vimeo.com/907546214/39555818d3?share=copy