DENVER (KDVR) — Police say the man who injured a service dog, hitting it with a golf club, was acting in self-defense and that an investigation into the incident continues.
FOX31 talked with the dog’s owner, Jhane Thomas, Monday when she described being devastated by what happened to her dog, Baby. The dog is being treated for severe injuries, and veterinary surgeons must now remove the eye that was struck by the club.
Following the initial report on the story, police told FOX31 it was determined to be an act of self-defense by an elderly man who is not being charged in the case. Witnesses said the man was approached by more than one dog and struck only after trying to peacefully encourage them to leave.
In the Monday interview, Thomas said her dog did not attack the man who was walking by her yard. “She didn’t attack or anything. She was doing what a dog does, which is bark,” Thomas said.
“My heart is broken more than anything because she doesn’t understand, she’s scared of the world,” Thomas said Monday.
The City and County of Denver has posted animal control guidelines and ordinances for pet owners and those who live near pets.