DOG FOUND IN MOORHEAD TO BE PUT DOWN - Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks

Moorhead Police are searching for the owner of a pit bull who bit an officer last week. Because they don't know who's dog it is, they don't know if it's up to date on its rabies shots. That means the dog will be put down on Monday to find out whether it does indeed have rabies, unless the owner comes forward.

After the nameless pit bull was found here off of 19th Street North in Moorhead folks called the police to take care of the problem. An officer got the dog back to the squad car but not before the k-9 let him know he wasn't interested in a ride.

Lt. Jacobson of the Moorhead Police explains, "one of our officers went to retrieve this pit bull off the property and bring it to an animal shelter. And while he was escorting it off the property he was bit in the right thigh."

The dog is a tan in color male pit bull, he has some scars on his face and head, and because the officer got bit, they have to determine if this dog has rabies. All of this is in an effort to find out whether the officer needs to undergo rabies shots.

"Our concern is the owner hasn't been identified so we're unable to confirm whether it has it's vaccines for rabies current. And we're hoping that putting a picture of the dog out maybe somebody would be familiar with the dog and can point us in the right direction of who it belongs too." Says Lt. Jacobson.

When a dog is brought to the F-M Animal Hospital, potentially with rabbis, they only hold the dog for ten days. Monday they'll have to put him down to find out whether the officer bite needs shots.

The Moorhead Police Department says the dog didn't seem vicious. It just didn't want to go with the officer. If you think you recognize the dog, or know the owners, the Moorhead Police would like to hear from you. Just call the Red River Regional Dispatch Center at 701-451-7660, and ask to speak with the on-duty Moorhead Supervisor.