TACOMA, Wash. — A dog was attacked and killed by another dog in the care of the Humane Society for Tacoma Pierce County at an event over the weekend.
On May 3, just before 10:30 a.m., Tacoma police responded to Yacht Club Road at Dune Peninsula for a dog attack. The area was at the finish line for the Tacoma City Marathon, which was happening that day.
According to police, one dog attacked another one, which resulted in that dog’s death.
The dog that caused the deadly attack was there with the Humane Society of Tacoma & Pierce County.
“Yesterday, a tragic incident occurred at the Tacoma City Marathon involving a dog in our care that resulted in the loss of a community member’s dog. We are so deeply sorry for the harm this caused and the pain felt by those affected,” Tacoma Humane wrote in a statement online.
The shelter said it takes full responsibility for “understanding how this happened” and for “addressing any deficiencies” in their processes or oversight.
“As a direct result of this incident, we are conducting a full review of our event protocols, including how dogs are selected and managed at off-site events,” the shelter wrote in its statement.
Humane Society of Tacoma & Pierce County was one of the sponsors of the event. A portion of the event proceeds would go to the organization.
KIRO 7 is working to learn if there was an adoption event at the race where dogs would have been present.
According to Tacoma City Marathon Association’s website, under their FAQ section, “Due to liability and insurance reasons, four-legged friends aren’t allowed to run our events.”
KIRO 7 has reached out to the Tacoma City Marathon Association for clarification on whether dogs are allowed to attend events. They confirmed that dogs are not allowed to participate in events.
In an email, Tacoma City Marathon told KIRO 7:
“We’re heartbroken by this news and can only imagine the grief the family is experiencing. We’re taking time to carefully evaluate our relationship with the Humane Society moving forward.
Our team members are pet owners ourselves and care deeply about animal welfare—we want nothing but the best for them. This is truly tragic, and our deepest condolences go out to the family."
KIRO 7 working to learn more about what led up to the incident.
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