Arizona dog dragged by animal control officer has a new yard; county attorney declines prosecution
WINSLOW, Ariz. - The dog who was seen being mishandled by an animal control officer with the Winslow Police Department is back home and is being kept safe by a new fence around his home.
The Cherry Bombs, an Arizona-based group known to help animals and the community, sent photos to FOX 10 showing the dog, Raider, behind his new fenced-in yard.
On May 4, Raider was seen being dragged and bloodied by an animal control officer with the Winslow Police Department.
Winslow resident Jim Sundwall, who has lived in the city for 52 years, says Raider often follows a high school teacher home. Sundwall explained that Raider's home is at the end of the block where he has a family.
"Raider gets a treat, then goes from house to house getting treats before heading home. That's his routine," Sundwall said. "He likes to watch the high school students as they walk to school."
Sundwall noticed a police officer near Raider's home. He told the officer about the dog, reassuring him that Raider roams the area and is not aggressive.
On June 5, the Cherry Bombs gave an update, saying Raider has a fence, thanks to community donations. He's also vaccinated and has his tags.
"A guy that grew up here drove 8 hours to put the fence up, an attorney from Phoenix donated as well, Arizona is so amazing," The Cherry Bombs said, adding that people from all over the state donated to pay for Raider's new yard.
FOX 10 reached out to the Winslow Police Department for an update on the officer as he was under investigation and on paid administrative leave.
Winslow Police Chief Franklin Caldwell said in a statement on June 6, "The case is still under investigation at this point. We are awaiting the outcome of the investigation after which we will provide that information to the media. We are reviewing the videos provided to us and speaking with neighbors in the area to ensure our investigation is thorough."
On July 10, the Winslow Police Department posted a news release on its Facebook page saying that the Navajo County Attorney's Office declined to prosecute the officer involved in this incident.
"The City takes all allegations of animal abuse seriously and is conducting a thorough review of Department operations and assessing opportunities to improve training and staff support," the news release read.
The officer also returned to work on July 10 "in a restricted capacity pending the outcome of the administrative investigation."