CO: Man in jail after shooting, killing Pit Bull

[RealPitBull]

www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/man-in-jail-for-shooting-killing-neighbors-pit-bull

Posted: 03/06/2013
Last Updated: 18 hours ago

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - A Colorado Springs man is in jail for shooting and killing his neighbor's pit bull.

The shooting last year was recorded during a 911 call.

"I've called the Humane Society -- OK, alright I'm going to shoot it right now," Blake Pfeifer tells a police and fire dispatcher.

"No, no, no, wait ,wait, wait," said the operator.

"It's got a hold of my leg!" Pfeifer said.

The operator told Pfeifer to go inside, but Pfeifer said he couldn't get away from the dog, according to KRDO-TV.

Almost two and a half minutes into the call, Pfeifer says he's going to shoot the dog.

"I did not want to do this. Damn it, I'm putting it down," Pfeifer said.

Then a shot is heard on the recording.

"I had to shoot it! I had no choice," Pfeifer said.

The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region said it recommended charges of aggravated animal cruelty.

Officers said Pfeifer told them the dog knocked his girlfriend down twice that day and was jumping on him. Pfeifer said he went into his home, retrieved his gun and shot the dog.

"We didn't see what happened, but based on the evidence we had, the dog was not acting aggressively, it was being a nuisance, " said spokeswoman Gretchen Pressley.

Pressley said when Pfeifer first called authorities, the dog was in his yard. The call was not a priority, so an officer didn't go to the home right away.

When Pfeifer called the Humane Society again, he said he was going to shoot the dog, so officers went sent right away, Pressley said. However, Pfeifer shot the dog before officers arrived.

Pfiefer was convicted by a jury on February 6. He is in jail without bond until he is sentenced on April 4.

The dog he killed, Prime, belonged to Pfeifer's teenage neighbor, Aaron Pyne. Pyne told KRDO-TV that his dog was never vicious, but occasionally got out into the neighborhood. The Humane Society told 7NEWS they had cited the owner in the past for having an animal at large. The owner was cited again on the day the dog was shot and killed.

Hear the 911 call in KRDO-TV's report: tinyurl.com/atsquyb

[RealPitBull]

www.gloucestertimes.com/local/x1874099057/Protesters-see-pitbull-case-continued

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -
A plumber is in jail after he shot and killed his neighbor's pit bull and was convicted of aggravated animal cruelty.



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It happened in February of 2012 on Vondelpark Place in the Holland Park neighborhood.

Aaron Pyne said his pit bill, Prime, wasn't vicious, but that he did occasionally get loose in the neighborhood.

"He was really puppy-like, always wagging his tail and really happy," said Pyne.

The man who killed the dog was Pyne's neighbor, Blake Pfeifer, a man who has appeared on KRDO in the past offering his plumbing expertise.

"Personally, I know he had it out for my dog," said Pyne.

According to arrest records, Pfeifer called the Humane Society several times to complain that Prime was in his yard, and said he wanted to shoot the dog.

Pyne's mother also said she had overheard Pfeifer threatening to shoot Prime.

On the day Prime was killed, Pfeifer called the Humane Society in the morning, saying the dog had jumped on his fiance. He called back hours later, saying the dog was being sexually aggressive towards him. Pfeifer hung up and called 911 and was still on the phone when he shot Prime three times.

Arrest records say after Prime had been shot twice, the dog left the property and was in front of Pfeifer's neighbor's home when Pfeifer fired the final and deadly shot. Pfeifer said he shot the dog the last time because he didn't want it to suffer.

Neighbors in the area had mixed opinions about the dog. An elderly women who lives near Pfeifer said Prime was friendly and just wanted to play, but others said the dog was often roaming outside and could be a menace.

Mike Smith said the day the dog was killed, the mailman wouldn't get out of his vehicle to deliver the mail because the dog was out.

"He would stop every hour on the hour," Smith said.

Smith said as he walked to a neighbor's house the dog jumped on him.

"That dog would not let go of me and I was really terrified," Smith said. "It really surprised me that they charged (Pfeifer) with a crime. He tried so hard to get the Humane Society to pick up the dog."

Pyne maintains his dog wasn't dangerous and says it's Pfeifer who was the real threat.

"There's a lot of children in this neighborhood, including my brother," Pyne said. "I wouldn't want him to go out looking for my dog and come into crossfire."

Pfeifer has been in jail since the beginning of February and he will remain behind bars until his sentencing in April because his bond was revoked. The district attorney's office says that's not uncommon when someone commits a felony crime with deadly weapon.


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