Body Cam Footage: Dogs Attack Police Officers, Animal Control Respond To Call

A video was released by authorities after a body cam from one of its responding officers recorded of what seemed to be a “dog attack” in East Haven earlier this week.

The video, which was posted via by News 8, showed police officers and animal control personnel arriving at the location where the attack happened. They were responding to a 9-1-1 call by one of the residents of Palmetto Trail after Thomas Kucenski was attacked by four dogs.

Although the victim suffered “non-life threatening injuries,” he insisted that the dogs were the “most aggressive” that he had seen. Eyewitness News 3, who also reported on the same incided, said that Kucenski was in the street when he noticed the dogs roaming around the neighborhood, apparently looking for their owner. It was here that they “dashed back out of the house” and attacked him.

Kucenski said that the dogs were jumping and in turn, he tried to defend himself. According to him, he was “kicking them” and kept them away.

“I was yelling and screaming at the top of my voice,” he added. His wife, Marcia, and a neighbor tried to help Kucenski by making noises in an effort to lure the dogs away from the victim.

Despite his wounds, Kucenski was not brought to the hospital.

The video, on the other hand, detailed the encounter of the East Haven Police and Animal Control with the dogs. While the animal control officer was preoccupied, one of the dogs came up from behind and the second shortly followed. Barking ensued, which triggered the face-off.

Kucenski recalled that the “dog warden” used his snare to protect himself against the dog. The officer who wore the body cam on the other hand tased one of the dogs “to get the situation under control.” While the officer did draw his firearm, no shots were fired, the victim added.

The former source said it was unclear as to who initiated the run-in since the incident “occured behind a bush.”

“These dogs, based on my experience, they've been trained to fight,” Kucenski said. Jeff Monigle, however countered Kucenski's claim.

“They'll jump on you, lick you, they might have sharp claws, but they're not going to bite you,” the owner of the dogs involved in the incident said.

The dog that bit Kucenski was quarantined by animal control, while Monigle was cited for several violations.