By Tim Balk
New York Daily News
PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — A deputy in Georgia accidentally shot and killed a police dog Friday when the animal bit him from behind, not realizing the animal was his partner, the Paulding County Sheriff’s office said.
Cpl. Brandon Kilgore was chasing a suspect in a domestic dispute when the dog, Verro, got mixed up and started pursuing Kilgore, grabbing his leg and biting him, the county sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.
Kilgore shot the 8-year-old Belgian Malinois when he couldn’t get the pup off his leg, according to the Monday post.
The deputy and Verro had worked in tandem for seven years, the sheriff’s office said.
https://www.facebook.com/PauldingSheriff/posts/10157472405823466
The suspect was taken into custody after deputies tracked him down, according to officials.
Kilgore’s bite injuries will heal, but Paulding County Sheriff Gary Gulledge said the deputy was left shaken from the loss of the animal.
“Being a former K-9 handler, I know how special the bond is between a handler and his dog,” Gulledge said in a statement. “The emotional grief everyone is going through, including the Deputy who was bitten, has been overwhelming.”
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