Wayland police officer shoots and kills dog that allegedly bit him

A Wayland police officer shot and killed a dog Monday after police say the dog attacked and bit him while responding to a home.

The Wayland Police Department said in a news release that the officer responded to a home on Concord Road after someone in the home dialed 911 and then hung up.

When the officer arrived at the home, police said, he knocked on the door and began speaking with the homeowner. As they were talking, the dog allegedly ran out of the house and bit the officer multiple times.

Police said the officer started running back to his car, but that the dog kept chasing him and trying to attack him. In response, the officer shot and killed the dog.

The officer was taken to a nearby hospital by ambulance for treatment of multiple bite wounds, police said.

The department said their preliminary investigation found that the dog had a history of aggressive behavior and was the subject of prior complaints. The dog was determined to be a pit bull mix whose owner was not around when it was killed.

Police also later determined that the original 911 call had been an accidental dialing from a child in the home.

“This is a very difficult and unfortunate situation,” Acting Chief Ed Burman said in the release. “The safety of our officers and community members is of the utmost importance, and anytime an officer has to use force, we take it very seriously. We will investigate this incident to ensure we have the fullest possible understanding of what occurred.”

Another dog shooting made headlines last month when a Brockton police officer shot and killed a pet at the family’s home. The dog’s owner and a witness disputed claims that the dog was aggressive.

Studies show that about half of all incidents during which officers shoot their gun involve dogs. They also show that no breed has been found to be more aggressive than another.

The ASPCA and other activists have called for police to be trained on how to respond to dogs they may find threatening given the prevalence of dogs in homes.

They say it is rare for investigations into these incidents to yield any punishments or results, and that often others nearby are also injured when officers shoot dogs.