Crime & Safety

Dog Quarantined After Stamford Transportation Center Scuffle

Stamford authorities currently have in quarantine for 14 days a dog involved in an attack on several plain clothed police officers who were attempting to apprehend the dog's owner, an alleged heroin dealer. 

Bella bit several officers and wounded them about the ears, legs and buttocks as the police attempted to arrest the owner, a man identified by police ad Charles Oliver Tapia, while the man was allegedly carrying almost $750 at the Stamford Transportation Center taxi stand. But authorities are saying the puppy only saw its owner being attacked by four men. 

Bella is a 5-month old Staffordshire Terrier, and the authorities involved wants to make sure Bella doesn't cast a negative light on a breed that's often received bad press in the past, often for reasons outside the dogs' control. 

"There's a good chance the dog would have been put down if this occurred elsewhere," said Stamford Police Capt. Richard Conklin, who also noted the dog shouldn't be expected to have known the men aggressively interacting with its owner were police officers. "You really can't fault the dog."

Bella will be quarantined at the Stamford Animal Shelter for 14 days as Tapia allegedly told police the dog was fairly new and he couldn't be sure she was up to date on her shots. 

"She was back there shaking like a leaf," said Stamford Animal Care & Control Shelter Director Laurie Hollywood. "She seems fine today. She's a beautiful dog. She was a puppy freaked out by the whole situation and I just hope this incident doesn't put a nail in the coffin for this dog. She's very cute and was protecting her owner, something they do 100-percent."

For more info on Tapia's arrest on charges of drug possession and assault on police officers, click here


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