The owner of a dog who was killed by sheriff's deputies last weekend is seeking legal action and new policies after what she says was an unnecessary death.

The incident took place on Dec. 2 at the 15700 block of Brandiron Street when deputies were serving a warrant to 24-year-old Jared Smith for assault with a deadly weapon. Detective Lori-Ann Wells told Patch that deputies shot at the dog after it attacked, though no deputies were injured. Smith's ex-girlfriend and co-owner of the dog, Brianna Fox, told Patch that the reports of an attack are false, saying that Jimbo, the 2-year-old pit bull mix, didn't even "take two steps" toward the officers.

"He didn't bark or anything," Fox told Patch. "He had a tennis ball in his mouth. It's not like he ran out." Fox said the deputies told her they can't wait for "every dog to bite or lick," which is why they shot without hesitation.

According to Fox, Smith was inside a motorhome parked next to her house with a friend and the dog, Jimbo. She says she knew Smith, who was arrested on probable cause for the outstanding felony warrant, possession of a deadly weapon, spousal abuse and vandalism, was there and that the two raised the dog together. "There was a huge helicopter flying close ot the house... so we all came outside," Fox said. "Jimbo stopped, looked at the officers and then back at Jared. And then they shot."

Fox's adoptive mother, Goldie Charlene Fox, who goes by Charlene, witnessed the whole thing.

"I got up and stuck my head out, opened the front door and to my right come two officers with shotguns, running as fast as they could," Charlene said. "The shots just blew him over."

Charlene told Patch that deputies ran onto the property from all directions without warning. Though she couldn't see Jimbo as he was being shot, she said he never barked or growled. "It's an awful, awful thing," Charlene said. "I know they're doing their job, but they came in here like [Smith] was a mass murderer."