Police tase dog, owner disputes aggressive behavior
By Michael Fuller
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LANCASTER, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — A Lancaster dog owner is disputing police claims that her dog was aggressive after officers tased the animal, citing video evidence that she says shows a different story.
“I don’t think any dog should be treated like this, not by a human being and especially not by a police officer,” said Mili Pagan, the dog’s owner.
The past several days have been an emotional roller coaster for Pagan and her family. “I know that my daughter-in-law was crying. The kids were, I guess, going crazy,” she said.
After her dog, Max, was found and apprehended by police last week, Pagan recounted that she and her son were at their auto shop when a friend offered to watch the dog.
However, they soon realized something was wrong.
“My son finishes with the car, realizes the guy’s not there, the dog’s not there, the leash is not there,” Pagan said. “He goes out the back of the garage looking for the dog, and he sees a bunch of police officers, and he hears sirens. So, he starts to walk, and he sees the dog in a cage.”
The Lancaster City Police Bureau said they were called to the 400 block of Beaver Street for reports of a roaming dog.
Officers stated that one resident reported being chased, while two others claimed they were bitten.
Police said they used non-lethal force on the animal, which they communicated to Pagan’s family.
“That the dog tried to attack them. And so that they had to tase him and that that’s why the dog was in a cage,” Pagan said.
The next day, Pagan obtained video footage of the incident, which she claims shows a different perspective.
“You see the police officer taunting the dog, calling the dog, hissing at the dog, and then saying, let’s take him. And they tased him and continue to tasered. And then I guess that’s when they put him in the cage,” she said.
Pagan described the aftermath, saying, “The dog is bright in the back. He had a couple of those taser things inside his bone. And, you know, he peed and blood and everything was all over the case. Everything. That’s not right.”
Lancaster City police have been contacted for clarification on their protocol for capturing animals.
They stated that it is handled on a case-by-case basis and that the incident is still under investigation. Further information is being sought.
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