Civil case to open in dog shooting

MILWAUKEE, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A Milwaukee woman alleges city police violated her constitutional rights when they fatally shot her injured dog, Bubba.

Virginia Viilo's federal civil rights case is to begin this week against the city and police Sgt. Kevin Eyre and Officer Montell Carter, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Monday.

The 7-year-old Labrador and springer spaniel mix was killed by Carter in August 2004 as he and Eyre were looking for a pitbull, the Journal reported.

Viilo told Eyre and Carter she didn't know the pitbull and as she was talking with them Bubba, growling and barking, ran at Eyre and Carter, the Journal reported, noting Carter fired on the dog with a shotgun, fracturing its leg.

Viilo alleges Carter then fired two more shots and killed it, the Journal reported, noting police then gave Viilo a $122 ticket for letting Bubba run loose.

Viilo said she doesn't dispute why Carter fired the first shot but contends the next two shots were unnecessary, her lawyers said. Carter and Eyre contend they were defending themselves, reported the Journal, adding Milwaukee police officers have shot and killed more than 400 dogs in the last decade or so.