Owners Shoot Dog in Santee Due to Aggressive Behavior

A dog was shot by its owners in Santee Saturday because it had been acting unusually aggressive during the week and the owners were detained, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.

Police say the dog, a yellow lab, was shot around 3:10 p.m. on Strathmore Lane near Santee Lakes. The owners, who are from Texas, said the dog had bitten their daughter, two neighbors and a friend in the last few weeks. The two were detained, questioned, and released with a warning.

Neighbors reported hearing a gunshot and deputies descended on the area after the owner had taken the dog in the hills near the home and shot it.

Deputies said they didn't cite the owners for a crime because it is lawful to kill your own dog as long as it's done in a humane manner. As for shooting a gun near a residential neighborhood, the owner wasn't charged due to "basic ignorance of the law," according to a report by UT San Diego.