One day before his pit bull mix was scheduled to be
euthanized for reportedly biting two people in separate incidents, a homeless
man broke into San Luis Obispo County Animal Services Center and retrieved his
dog.
Now, the Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help
in locating the two, warning residents that the dog has a history of attacking
people unprovoked.
On Tuesday morning, deputies received a report that a
burglary at the animal center in the 800 block of Oklahoma Avenue on the
outskirts of San Luis Obispo had occurred during the overnight hours. A staff
member there said someone broke into a kennel and took a brown-and-black pit
bull mix named Sid, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s spokesman Tony Cipolla said Thursday that the dog
had been quarantined at the kennel since July, following separate incidents in
May and June in which Sid bit a person, resulting in injuries severe enough to
require hospital treatment.
A San Luis Obispo judge issued an order in October to have
officials euthanize the dog on Wednesday.
Investigators identified 24-year-old Logan Timothy Wilson
Stoffle as the main suspect in the break-in. Stoffle has no known city of
residence and had regularly visited the dog at the center since July.
Prior to the euthanization order, Stoffle was given an
option by the judge to find a permanent private kennel for Sid, but he was
unable to do so, Cipolla said.
Cipolla said that despite residents’ feelings toward
euthanization, “the fact is, this is a public safety issue. (The dog has) been
shown in previous attempts that he will attack unprovoked.”
Officials had not located the pair as of Thursday evening
and asked anyone with information of their whereabouts to call 781-4550.
FOLLOW US!
