Police: Dog hurt during arrest of owner in Pittsburgh's Allentown

Pittsburgh police shot and injured a dog Saturday when it went after officers who were trying to arrest its owner, authorities said.

The incident happened about 11:45 a.m. as officers were responding to Helen Way on the border of the city’s Allentown and Knoxville neighborhoods for a report of people shooting paintballs, spokesperson Maurice Matthews wrote in a statement.

While officers found evidence of paintballs, no one involved was at the scene. Authorities did, however, notice a woman for whom they had an arrest warrant.

As police attempted to take the woman into custody, Matthews wrote, she became combative, which in turn agitated her dog.

The dog then began “nipping at one officer,” Matthews wrote. An officer fired a shot and the dog took off. Police used pepper spray on the woman and detained her.

Animal Care and Control officers located the dog, which had been shot, Saturday afternoon, Matthews wrote. The dog was taken to a veterinarian for treatment. No further information was available.