LISBON

A Lisbon police officer shot a dog early Wednesday morning after being bitten multiple times. 

Lisbon police say Officer Andrew Levesque responded a mobile home at 2 Claire Drive in Lisbon Falls to check on the well being of a juvenile female. 

The home owner opened the door for Levesque while holding onto the dog’s collar, “and the dog immediately pulled away from the subject and charged at Officer Levesque,” the release states. “The dog then bit Officer Levesque’s hand and Levesque kicked the dog, and was able to break contact.”

Levesque jumped off the front stairs of the residence and repeatedly warned the owner to control their dog, police said. The resident’s owner attempted to grab hold of the dog again without success, the release states, “and the dog lunged, biting Officer Levesque a second time in the thigh. Levesque again kicked the dog, breaking contact. The dog attacked Levesque a third time, biting him in the opposite thigh. Levesque fought the dog off again, simultaneously drawing his firearm and shooting three rounds into the dog.”

After it was shot, the dog temporarily took shelter under a vehicle before fleeing from the residence. 

The dog was found nearby and transported to a nearby veterinary hospital where it was euthanized because of its wounds.

The dog was a five-year-old American Staffordshire terrier — also known as a pit bull mix, according to police.

Levesque received medical attention at Central Maine Medical Center for the injuries suffered during the attacks. He received a series of rabies vaccinations because the dog in question had not received its required vaccinations.

Levesque was released from CMMC later that day.

Lisbon Police Chief Marc Hagan said police also dealt with the dog on July 18, when it was reportedly running at large, attacked a neighbor’s dog and behaved aggressively toward the dog’s owner. After investigating, police summonsed 70-year-old Vernon Hamilton of 2 Claire Drive for keeping an unlicensed dog, failure to vaccinate a dog and allowing a dog to be at large.

However, police were told after the dog attack Wednesday morning that the dog is actually owned by Hamilton’s 22-year-old grandson, who has not been charged. Hagan said the district attorney’s office is reviewing the case and additional charges could be issued.

As for the police department, Hagan said it always reviews every incidence of use of force.

“This will be reviewed just like every other use of force case,” he said.