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Second dog in Wall Springs Park pack fatally shot

An officer shoots the dog, a male chow mix, in a remote area of the park.

By TAMARA EL-KHOURY
Published November 10, 2005

PALM HARBOR - The pack of wild dogs at Wall Springs Park lost another member Tuesday afternoon when a Pinellas County animal control officer shot a male chow mix, officials said.

The dog, which was shot by animal control officer Rick Stahl, was the second animal in the pack to be killed. It was seen running in a group of five dogs in a remote, undeveloped area of the park, said county communications director Marcia Crawley. The officer used a firearm to kill it.

The dogs have been acting aggressively, growling and snarling, she said.

Last week, another animal control officer killed a member of the pack with a .22-caliber rifle. Officials have estimated that the pack originally included about 11 dogs, eight of which were chows.

"We're doing anything possible to try to trap these animals and, of course, avoid any type of encounter like this," Crawley said. "It's unfortunate, but it's a necessary public protection."

Last week, the pack closed Wall Springs Park after chasing workers who fled in a golf cart. A ranger had to run down an embankment to escape the menacing animals.

County officials opened the park days later after setting traps and driving the pack to parts of the park not used by the public. That's where the lastest shooting took place.

"It's an unfortunate situation where people have turned their dogs loose and they've resorted to pack behavior, then you've got dangerous behavior," said Welch Agnew, assistant director for veterinary services for Pinellas County Animal Services.

Park rangers are surveying Wall Springs every morning for the pack.

Animal control officers are using traps, tranquilizers and rifles to capture the dangerous dogs.

[Last modified November 10, 2005, 01:21:17]