The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Washington, DC: MPD Officer Shoots Service Dog Outside of Dog Park in Greenbelt, Maryland The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Washington, DC: MPD Officer Shoots Service Dog Outside of Dog Park in Greenbelt, Maryland

Friday, December 18, 2015

Washington, DC: MPD Officer Shoots Service Dog Outside of Dog Park in Greenbelt, Maryland


Greenbelt, Maryland - Greenbelt police are investigating the shooting of a service dog by an off-duty Metropolitan Police Department officer outside the Greenbelt Dog Park on December 13.

The service dog, a Pit mix named Cleo, was wounded and is recovering, according to her owner LaToya Plummer of Greenbelt.

Plummer, who is deaf and depends on Cleo to alert her to visitors, is demanding that charges be filed against the unnamed police officer.

According to Greenbelt police, the off-duty MPD sergeant told investigators that Cleo ran towards her and her dog aggressively.

The off-duty officer reported Cleo was "bearing teeth", and the officer said she feared for her safety, according to Greenbelt Police spokesman George Mathews.

The off-duty officer immediately reported the shooting to police.

Plummer said because she is deaf she did not hear the gunshot and wasn't aware how Cleo got injured. At first, she thought Cleo had been in a fight.

Plummer said she did not know the woman was an off-duty police officer and she did not see a gun. Plummer said she left the dog park before police arrived to get Cleo to a veterinarian.

She called police later in the day after learning from the vet that Cleo had been shot.

Plummer said she was at the dog park with Cleo and two other pets and preparing to take her dogs out of the fenced enclosure to her vehicle when the shooting happened.

Plummer disputes the claim that Cleo was aggressive.

"She is the most calm and gentle of my dogs," Plummer said through an interpreter.

Investigators said Cleo was outside the park fence and was unleashed.

The incident happened on Sunday at 6:30 a.m.



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