Paso Robles dog owner taped dead chicken to black Lab’s face as discipline, authorities say
Update: Officials recommend animal cruelty charges against Paso Robles owner who duct-taped dog
A black Labrador retriever found on Monday in rural Paso Robles had part of a dead chicken duct-taped to its face, apparently as a disciplinary method by the dog’s owner, according to an Animal Services official.
A resident called authorities about 9 p.m. after a 7-month-old male dog with its eyes and mouth duct-taped shut wandered into a yard on Loma Lane, said Tony Cipolla, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office spokesman.
Officials have identified the Labrador’s owner, who apparently taped the dog’s muzzle and the top of its head after the animal attacked chickens, said Eric Anderson, county Animal Services manager.
A portion of one of the chickens was also taped to the dog’s head, Anderson said.
The owner didn’t necessarily intend to cause suffering but was trying to correct the dog in a “misguided” way, he said.
“This was their effort at disciplining their dog and breaking it of this behavior,” Anderson said.
Animal Services is currently holding the Labrador, which is doing well, he said.
Although the duct-taping “doesn’t appear to have been intentionally malicious,” the act has implications for the dog’s future well-being, and authorities are taking the incident seriously, Anderson said.
Officials must now decide whether to recommend charges to the county District Attorney’s Office, which should happen by the beginning of next week, he said.
This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 2:17 PM.
