VA: Armed man Stops Dog Attack, Multiple Victims

Link to video

On Thursday morning, 29 March, 2018, a English Bull Terrier escaped from an apartment and started attacking people on the street. A man and a woman were bit on the arms and legs and were taken to the hospital. People attempted to use several items to stop the attacks. They kicked at the dog. They beat it with a hammer. They used pepper spray. Nothing worked until a man with a gun waited for the right moment, then shot the dog. Twice. From wsls.com:

Paul Burek saw it all unfold and rushed to help. He had a gun in his car and shot the dog after everything else failed to stop the attack.

10 News talked exclusively with him about firing two shots at the English bull terrier.

“They pepper sprayed the dog. They beat it with a hammer. Somebody was screaming to shoot it and I, fortunately, had a gun in the car and I went and got my gun and once it pulled away from the people and started walking across the road I shot it,” Burek said.

Police impounded Paul Burek's gun. From roanoke.com:

But police and animal control arrived just then, took control of the dog and confiscated Burek’s gun.

(snip)

The animal control officer told the man, “I have to be honest with you sir, he’s going to be euthanized.”

By the time the dog was carried off, however, it appeared to be motionless.

The police have dealt with the same dog in the past. On Dec. 26, 2017 at 2:23 a.m., officers went to the same area because the dog had run off the back porch of the apartment and bit a man on his hand, Smith said. The man went to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. Animals wardens followed up on the incident, but the man did not want to file charges.

Fortunately, the Roanoke police returned Paul's gun in only a day. From wsls.com:

Paul Burek, the man who shot the dog who attacked two people Thursday, is not facing charges.

He says Roanoke Police have returned his gun.

Animal attacks are not included in surveys of defensive gun uses. But people using a gun to stop dangerous animals is a common practice, especially in rural areas. Attacks such as the one in Roanoke make the news. Animal attacks in rural areas are seldom reported. People simply shoot the offending animal and dispose of it. Sometimes, when the attacking animal is the property of another person, that person will be contacted to recover damages.

The lack of accounting for animal attacks in the gun control debate is deliberate. It is not mentioned by those wishing a disarmed population, because nearly everyone understands that using a firearm to stop a dangerous animal is prudent and positive.

In this case, a firearm was used to stop the attacks when all else failed.

There may be more defensive gun uses against animal attacks than against humans in the United States. In Australia, the only citizens who are allowed semi-automatic rifles are those who need them to deal with problem animals.

©2018 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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