Staff Report / May 7, 2026
A Canandaigua police officer shot and killed a dog Wednesday afternoon after authorities say the animal attacked its owner, another dog, and later charged at responding officers.
According to the Canandaigua Police Department, officers were dispatched to Chapin Street around 2:29 p.m. after reports of a woman screaming. When police arrived, they found a 50-year-old Canandaigua woman in the backyard of a residence suffering from severe injuries to her left arm while attempting to restrain a pit bull.
Police say officers attempted to assist the woman, but the dog lunged at them. An officer initially deployed a Taser, however the animal reportedly broke free and charged at another officer. Authorities say the officer then fired a single round from a service weapon, killing the dog at the scene.
After the shooting, officers rendered medical aid to the injured woman, including applying a tourniquet before she was transported by ambulance to F.F. Thompson Hospital with severe injuries to both arms.
Investigators believe the incident began when the pit bull attacked another dog at the home and the owner attempted to intervene. The second dog was transported by the Ontario County Humane Society to a veterinary clinic for emergency treatment. Authorities have not released the condition of that animal.
Police also stated they believe the same dog was involved in a previous incident on March 20, 2024, in which the animal allegedly attacked and injured the same owner before officers subdued it with a Taser. Authorities say the investigation into the dog’s history and origins remains ongoing.
