Syracuse police say man bites dog
Associated Press
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -A 33-year-old man faces charges that he bit a
police dog during a disturbance outside a downtown bar.
Paul Russell of Syracuse, was charged with injuring a police
animal, resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental
administration.
"I don't think I bit the dog. I just got into a fight with him,"
Russell told The Post-Standard of Syracuse in Monday's newspaper.
"I don't really remember (what happened). I was pretty
drunk."
The incident occurred Saturday night when Officer William Foster
and his dog, a German shepherd named Renny, were sent to
investigate a disturbance at 10 p.m. outside the Empire Brewing
Co., a bar in Syracuse's Armory Square district.
Russell said he and a friend were asked to leave the tavern and
then got into a tussle with bouncers.
According to police reports, Russell grabbed Renny by the throat
and started choking the animal and biting it on the left side of
his neck.
Foster said he punched Russell twice in the face to make him let go
of the dog. Russell said he suffered a broken nose and two black
eyes when police hit him.
Russell was treated at Community General Hospital. He was jailed
overnight before being released on his own recognizance after being
arraigned Sunday by City Judge Thomas W. Higgins Jr.
After the arrest, 3-year-old Renny was taken to a veterinarian.
Foster said the animal had swelling in his neck and was sore where
he was bitten.
"The dog is off for the next two days. He'll be back for his
regular shift. He's not expected to miss any time," said Lt. Joseph
Cecile, a police spokesman.
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/weird_news/5682163.htm
