Quick-Thinking Neighbor Shoots Couple’s Dog To Save Their Lives

SPRINGFIELD, OREGON — A person shot their neighbor’s dog and likely saved the couple’s lives, according to Springfield police.  They received multiple 911 calls around 7:15 a.m. Wednesday reporting a disturbance in the backyard of an apartment at Jenna Village, located on Aster Street.

The dog was viciously attacking both of its owners when a neighbor shot it with a small caliber firearm.  The wounded canine retreated into its apartment, and the neighbor closed the door to keep it confined.

Police officers and firefighters arrived on the scene, but the only access to the backyard was through the apartment.  Accessing a neighboring property, they removed boards from a fence that separated the two spaces to reach the severely injured couple. Both were transported to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries which were described as extensive.

According to a statement from the SPD, “Due to the extent of the owner’s injuries, they consented to have the dog euthanized.” The injured dog was removed from the apartment by an animal control officer who transported it to an emergency veterinary hospital where it was euthanized.

There is no word on what, if anything, may have led to the attack, nor have the couple or the neighbor been publicly identified. We often think of firearms as a means of self-defense against humans, but there are many times when it may be the only means to save the life of another human against an animal attack, whether the animal is wild or domesticated.