Police kill dogs seen as threat in S.F., San Leandro

Police in San Leandro and San Francisco killed dogs in separate incidents Saturday that they said were threatening the safety of responding officers.

In San Leandro, police were called to the 2600 block of Darius Way at 10 a.m. Saturday to investigate two German shepherds that were running loose, said Lt. Robert McManus.

Officers arrived and found an 11-year-old boy who had been bitten by one of the dogs and also learned that the dogs had intimidated landscapers.

The officers found the dogs in a nearby yard and attempted to contain them until animal control officers could arrive, McManus said.

But as the officers waited, one of the German shepherds charged one of the officers, who shot him as the dog was about to jump on the officer, McManus said.

"It is very unfortunate that the officer had to shoot the dog to prevent from being attacked and to protect others from being attacked," McManus said in a statement. "We encourage everyone to ensure that their dogs are always secured in their homes or yards when unattended, as doing so will prevent incidents such as this."

A short time later in San Francisco's Potrero Hill neighborhood, a San Francisco police officer shot and killed a dog, police there said.

An officer with the department's housing unit arrived at the 1000 block of Connecticut Street at 10:25 a.m. Saturday, said Sgt. Danielle Newman.

The dog charged one of the officers, who then shot and killed the dog, Newman said. Further details were not immediately available, Newman said.