APD officer shoots pit bull

A man walks his father’s dog, which had just been attacked by two pit bulls, back home in the 1600 block of Edith SE on Friday while a city Animal Control officer looks on. An Albuquerque police officer shot one of the pit bulls. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal)

An Albuquerque police officer on Friday shot a pit bull in the area of Broadway and César Chávez after responding to call about two dogs attacking a smaller dog, officials said.

It’s unclear whether the pit bull survived, police said, because it ran off after officer Luis Castaneda fired one shot at it. Police and Animal Services personnel were unable to find the animal.

Around noon, Castenada responded to the dog attack call in the 1600 block of Edith SE, said officer Rob Gibbs, an APD spokesman. When Castaneda arrived, he saw two pit bulls attacking a smaller dog.

Castaneda got out of his police vehicle and approached the dog fight, Gibbs said. As he did, one of the pit bulls “turned on the officer” and came after him. That’s when Castaneda fired a shot, striking the dog, which ran off.

Animal Control personnel came to the scene and seized the other pit bull and six puppies, Gibbs said. He didn’t know whether charges would be filed against the pit bulls’ owner.

The smaller dog was badly injured but is expected to survive, he said.

One of the pit bulls that allegedly attacked a smaller dog on Friday in the South Broadway area was seized by city Animal Control officers.

— This article appeared on page C1 of the Albuquerque Journal