COPS TASER, SHOOT Chihuahua.

Bullock family's pet dog Tasered, shot dead by police in Cincinnati
By staff writersNEWS.com.auJune 10, 2009 12:30pm+-PrintEmailShare

Dead ... the dog, similar to these Chihuahuas, was shot after biting police / Picture: Alan Pryke
Officer bitten several times
Deploys Taser, dog keeps attacking
Dog shot, upsetting boy who 'barks'
A YOUNG boy is still "barking" for his dog to come home after police tasered, then shot dead, the family pet on their front porch.

US police in Cincinnati killed Jack, the Bullock family's Chihuahua-mix pet, after an officer was bitten on the hand, WCPO reports.

The small dog had been Tasered, then shot at twice by police.

A third gunshot killed the dog.

Scott and Sharon Bullock discovered the dog's blood and three bullets on their porch after returning from a funeral last Friday.

They called the local police station and discovered what had happened to Jack, who was a birthday present for their 12-year-old son.

They said they were told that two officers had cornered the dog, when it began biting one on the hands. Police said the officers had "no option" but to shoot the dog.

Mr Bullock said his five-year-old son was distraught by the killing.

"He 'barks' for him," Mr Bullock. "He'd 'bark' and Jack would always come to him, so he's outside going 'Bark bark bark,' hoping he's gonna come back.

"It's heartbreaking."

His wife said the child had cried himself to sleep after the shooting.

Lieutenant Paul Hartinger from the Blue Ash police department told WCPO that the officers had no choice but to shoot the dog after it had attacked them and other people.

"As badly as the officer was getting bitten, he had to do something to protect himself," Mr Hartinger said.

"They first chose physical means, then a Taser, and when those two didn't work, he had no option but to shoot the dog."

Police say the dog had bitten the officer 17 times on one hand and nine times on the other.