Police are investigating after a pit bull was struck and killed by a car hours after its owner tried to give the dog to an animal shelter.
Police put up fliers looking for the woman who went to an animal shelter, looking to leave the dog, claiming it was vicious and she couldn’t handle it anymore, according to police.
However, the shelter would not take the dog and, instead, gave her a list of alternative animal rescues that take in vicious dogs, police said.
“Obviously, the shelter can’t release that to somebody who wants to accept a pet, adopt a pet, because the liability is tremendous,” Sgt. Dave Tammaro, of the West Haven Police Department, said.
Later on Saturday, animal control officers received reports of a roaming pit-bull near Maltby Lake and looked for the animal, but it was too late.
“Ultimately, a car struck and killed the pit bull on Derby Avenue,” Tammaro said.
Within hours of posting a flier of the dog’s owner on Facebook, police knew who she was. When they contacted her, she said she gave the dog to someone else before leaving the state and moving to Florida, police said.
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Some people on social media have criticized the shelter for not taking in the pit bull.
“We don’t have the facilities. We don’t have the resources to take all these animals and, especially if someone comes in and says, ‘Hey my dog is vicious.’ That’s not the city’s responsibility to take your dog that was mistrained.” Tamarro said.
Charges against the owner of the pit bull are pending as the investigation continues, according to police.
