Retired police dog killed after attacking Riverside Co. man

A former police dog was spotted wandering in a Riverside County street and chomped into the leg of a man who gave it water, and bystanders resorted to steak knives to get the dog to let go of its toothy grip on the good Samaritan’s leg, officials said today.
The dog’s microchip revealed it to be a retired canine unit animal from an undisclosed police agency in Los Angeles County, said Riverside County Department of Animal Services spokesman John Welsh. The dog was injured in the
fight and euthanized by a veterinarian.
The attack happened just before 11 p.m. Sunday on Ruby Giant Court, just off Prairie Smoke Road, in Eastvale.
A 20-year-old man spotted the German shepherd wandering the street and took pity on him, filling a bowl with water and offering it to the dog, said Welsh. The man’s name was not released. The dog accepted the water, then put its front paws on the victim’s chest and, seconds later, clamped down on the man’s upper arm.
He said the man tried to push the service dog away and was immediately bitten in the left leg and dragged into the street by the dog, and began screaming for help.
The man’s friends and others came to his aid and began hitting the large dog to make it release its grip.
“Ultimately, in a desperate attempt to save the man, some of the men grabbed steak knives from inside the home, ran back out (and) stabbed the dog until it finally let go,” Welsh said.
One of the bystanders called 911, and emergency responders, including animal control Officer Bill Luna, arrived a short time later, according to Welsh.
Luna said that he immediately spotted the German shepherd lying on a nearby lawn, approached it, and the dog “sat to attention” on seeing the officer. Luna extended his control stick and looped the end of it around the wounded dog’s neck.
“I walked him to my truck and, with one command, the dog, despite its injuries, leaped into one of my truck compartments,” Luna said. “That dog must have recognized me and the uniform as someone of authority, He didn’t show any aggression toward me at all.”
An ambulance took the bitten man to Corona Regional Medical Center, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to Welsh.
He said Luna took the German shepherd to a veterinary clinic for emergency treatment, but the dog’s injuries were too severe to save him, and he was euthanized.

“We’re still trying to figure out how the dog was able to get out, we’re looking into that, and certainly this whole incident is a tragedy for the victim,” said Welsh. “Of course he suffered some pretty severe wounds, and it’s a tragedy for the dog owner, this was, we can only assume a very well-loved, cared for dog, these are beautiful animals and it’s a shame when something like this happens.”
A microchip was detected under the dog’s skin, and a quick scan confirmed that he was a retired police dog for the Long Beach Police Department.