Homeless man’s dog euthanized after fatal attack on pet in Citrus Heights

By Sara Beth Williams–
A homeless man’s dog, who recently attacked and killed a pet owner’s dog in Citrus Heights on June 13, was subsequently surrendered by its owner and given over to a shelter in Auburn.

Citrus Heights Police Services Supervisor Debra Miller confirmed with The Sentinel last week that the owner of the aggressor dog surrendered the animal, following the attack in a Lichen Drive parking lot, near Antelope Road. The dog was then turned over to Placer County Animal Services, which contracts with Citrus Heights Police, she said.

Investigations into determining whether an animal is “vicious” can take up to 90 days and can involve hearings, levying specific restrictions on the animal, and, appeals to decisions, Miller said. In this situation, because the owner willingly surrendered the dog, the investigation was halted by Citrus Heights Police, and the dog was transferred into Placer County custody for assessment.

“Everything is playing out very nicely given the unfortunate circumstances,” Miller said, adding that she’s pleased with how fast Animal Services acted in conducting an initial investigation.

The owner whose dog was killed in the attack told The Sentinel in an interview that she has had difficulty eating and sleeping since the incident.

“When I do go to sleep, I wake up with nightmares,” she said.

Last week, she said Animal Services updated her regarding the investigation of the aggressor dog and said the officer she spoke with “assured me the dog is being euthanized.”

Placer County Animal Services Manager Katie Ingram confirmed with The Sentinel on July 1 that the dog had been euthanized, and said every animal is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

“We look at public safety, we look at the incident that occurred, the severity of that injury,” Ingram said, adding that the attack that occurred was “very serious.”

Reports that the aggressor dog had also attacked another pet owner’s dog several weeks prior to the fatal incident have prompted questions regarding whether Animal Services should have intervened earlier.

Miller said as of June 25 that she was not immediately aware of the specific situation regarding a previous attack by the same aggressor dog and declined to comment on the alleged prior incident.