A Memphis Police Department officer was bitten by a dog and then fired his weapon, hitting the animal, during a Sunday evening encounter just south of the Douglass neighborhood. Police say the dog had reportedly been chased by a group of children before it bolted behind a house and then turned on the officer. Memphis Animal Services later came to the scene, but officials have not yet released the immediate medical status of either the officer or the dog.
What happened
According to Action News 5, the officer was in the area of Sunset Street and L&N Avenue when an aggressive dog approached. The outlet reports the dog, along with a group of children, ran behind a home. A short time later, the dog allegedly bit the officer, who then discharged his weapon and struck the animal.
Action News 5 adds that the injured dog ran to a home on Oriole Street and that Memphis Animal Services was called to the location.
Animal Services response
Memphis Animal Services notes that dog-bite and public-safety calls are routed through Memphis police, and anyone with an immediate concern is directed to contact MPD dispatch at 901-545-COPS. The agency says callers should be ready with the location and a description of the animal.
Animal Services officers may take custody of animals involved in bite incidents so they can be observed. That setup means Memphis Animal Services and MPD typically coordinate on documenting dog bites and arranging holding or quarantine when needed.
What the law requires
City rules spell out what can happen after a bite. Under the municipal animal code, animals involved in bite incidents can be seized and held for observation, and unowned or stray animals may be held for up to 10 days. Owners of animals that bite must surrender them to animal control, per the Shelby County code.
The ordinance also lets animal control officers give a preliminary classification of an animal as dangerous or vicious and lays out confinement and muzzling rules for such animals. Owners who fail to properly control an animal that attacks strangers can face fines and other enforcement actions under the code.
Police procedure on bite calls
Memphis Police Department policy directs officers handling bite incidents to gather victim information, a description and location of the animal, and any available rabies vaccination details. Officers are then expected to contact Animal Services through dispatch and file an "Animal Injury" offense report.
The policy says Animal Services will decide whether the animal should be held for observation and will take custody when appropriate. Those steps create the official record used for any public health follow-up, including rabies testing or formal classification of the animal.
Authorities have not provided further updates on the officer’s condition or whether the dog was captured or treated, according to Action News 5. Anyone with information or video of the incident is asked to contact Memphis police or reach out to Memphis Animal Services using the channels listed on the city site.
