BEVERLY — A police officer had to shoot a dog to stop a "vicious" dog-on-dog attack near Dane Street Beach on Saturday morning.
As a result, both animals ended up dying, one from being shot and the other from the injuries sustained in the attack.
The incident happened just before 9 a.m. near 7 Bay St., when a 4-month-old border collie was "suddenly, without provocation ... viciously attacked" by Ernie, an English bull terrier, according to Beverly police Officer April Clarizia. The collie was being walked by its owner, a Butler Street resident.
Ernie's owner, Michelle Meyer of 11 Bay St., declined to comment yesterday about the attack.
Clarizia, the Police Department's spokeswoman, said Meyer told police her dog "somehow got loose from her house." The dog was roaming unattended and unleashed in the neighborhood.
Meyer tried to remove Ernie from the border collie, but her dog would not loosen his grip. The jaws of the terrier clenched around the upper body and neck area of the collie, Clarizia said.
Patrolman Stephen Collins arrived at the scene and told both owners to clear the area so he could pepper-spray the dogs.
Collins used the spray numerous times on the terrier without any reaction, Clarizia said.
Collins then drew his service weapon and, in a close downward angle, fired a shot into the shoulder of the terrier.
Clarizia said the decision to fire the gun at the terrier was made after Collins determined the terrier was "an obvious danger to other animals and persons in the area."
The terrier finally stopped its attack, and both dogs were taken to Beverly Animal Hospital by Animal Control Officer John Manganaro.
Dr. William Friedman of the animal hospital said the terrier had to be put down at his Cabot Street facility. The border collie was taken to an emergency veterinary hospital, where it was also put down.
"I think it's just a sad story," Friedman said. "It's just a horrible, sad thing that happened."
Friedman said he and one of his technicians were coughing from the pepper-spray residue.
The owner of the border collie, James Lafontaine, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
The animal control officer is investigating.
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