The Bardstown police chief says he wants the city's canine program to continue even after their only police dog had to be shot for attacking his partner.
It happened early Sunday morning in Howardstown in the far southern part of Nelson County.
Officer Will Strunk and his canine, Clint, met deputies in a remote area to search for a suspect. Clint was a Belgian breed and was trained to track, find drugs, and bite.
Police say the dog seemed jumpy and eventually bit the officer on the arm twice. The second time he refused to let go.
A deputy fired a half-dozen pepper ball shots but the dog wouldn't let go. "I think that did not faze him at all, probably just antagonized him more," Chief Charles Marksbury said. "After a couple of minutes the officer couldn't take it anymore he told him just to shoot him to get him off him."
Officers buried Clint Sunday afternoon. He had been with the Bardstown Police Department for two years.
His handler, Officer Will Strunk, is on sick leave.
The dog bite left 20 deep puncture wounds, some down to the bone. His injury required 16 stitches.
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