Braintree Police Shuts Down K-9 Unit After Attacks
BRAINTREE (CBS) - The Braintree Police Department has shut down its K-9 unit. Officers say the dogs just became too aggressive.
The department says one dog attacked a handler and had to be put down. Those with a history of training dogs find this behavior very strange.
Kevin Lanouette, the owner of Abby Kennels, says the dogs should be able to go on the attack when necessary, and then be calm and relaxed the rest of the time.
"It takes many years of experience to train a dog like this," says Lanouette.
The Braintree Police Department just disbanded its patrol dog unit entirely after three incidents in recent weeks.
In one, a dog named Dargo attacked his handler and had to be euthanized.
Another patrol dog attacked his handler's son at home, and a third dog ran past his handler at a scene and attacked another police officer.
"Sometimes you just have accidents," says Lanouette. "Sometimes you have new handlers that make a mistake and it just happens."
Braintree Police aren't talking specifics, except to say that for now, the K-9 patrol program is done.
Only Lucky, the department's drug dog, remains on the job.
