Ex-Officer’s Killing of Dog Ruled Justified

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigators have concluded that a recently retired Los Angeles police officer was justified in fatally shooting a pet dog he encountered while jogging on a hillside trail in Chatsworth, a department supervisor said Monday.

Detectives found no evidence of cruelty to animals, or other criminal liability, by former Officer Warren M. Eggar and saw no need to refer the case to the district attorney’s office, Sheriff’s Sgt. Edward Rogner said.

“As far as we’re concerned there was nothing criminal about it,” said Rogner, adding that Eggar phoned the Sheriff’s Department to report the Aug. 20 shooting when he returned home from his jog.

Eggar told detectives the mixed-breed dog named Rosy “came at him” after running ahead of its owners, and that he fired once at the dog with a pistol he was carrying in his fanny pack, Rogner said. Eggar, who retired from the Los Angeles Police Department Aug. 1 at age 49, was licensed to carry a concealed weapon, Rogner said.

Rosy’s owners, Pam and Jack Reifert, could not be reached for comment Monday. They have said that although Rosy was part Doberman pinscher, she was not trained as an attack dog and had never prompted any complaints.