Somerset Sheriff Explains Deputy Shooting of Dog
Somerset County, MD - The Somerset County Sheriff's Office has released a public statement about a deputy who shot and killed a dog in Princess Anne, Maryland last month. The statement comes after the incident drew a lot of concern and comments on social media.
According to the Sheriff's Office, the call came in on September 22, 2026, at approximately 7:32 p.m. A resident reported that a large dog had aggressively chased a 10-year-old child on Chestnut Circle in Princess Anne, Maryland. The child ran into his home to get away.
A deputy went to the area and found the dog running loose with no leash and no collar. The deputy called Somerset County Dog Control. He was told the dog had a record of aggressive behavior and that officers should stay in their vehicles until Animal Control arrived.
While they waited, the deputy and a Maryland State Trooper who was helping saw the dog run toward two people walking on Somerset Avenue. The Sheriff's Office says both officers got out of their vehicles because they were worried for the walkers. They were able to draw the dog's attention away from the two people.
A short time later, the dog ran straight at the deputy. The Sheriff's Office says the deputy believed he was about to be hurt. He fired his department-issued gun, struck the dog and the dog passed away as a result of being shot.
The deputy's body camera was turned on during the encounter. He also wrote an official report about what happened.
The Sheriff's Office says it looked over the video, the deputy's report and everything else surrounding the incident. According to the statement, the video does not clearly show what the dog meant to do. It does back up the deputy's account of how the dog moved and how fast things happened.
The review also found that some of the information the deputy was first given about the dog's history did not match up. The statement does not say what those differences were.
Even so, the Sheriff's Office says force has to be judged by what an officer is facing in the moment. The statement said "decisions involving the use of force must be evaluated based on the circumstances confronting an officer and the information reasonably available at the time, rather than information learned afterward."
Based on its review, the Sheriff's Office found that the deputy acted within its policy. The statement does not name the deputy or the dog's owner.
The Sheriff's Office said it regrets the pain this has caused the people who cared for the dog. The statement also noted that no officer wants to be in a spot where deadly force against an animal is needed.
The statement was signed by Sheriff Ronald W. Howard. It said the office respects the right of people to question police actions, and it asked that public discussion stay respectful and based on accurate information.
