MONONA (WKOW) -- Body camera video obtained by 27 News shows the moments several dogs attacked two Monona police officers.
According to Monona Police Chief Brian Chaney, it happened March 14, 2024 at the 900 block of East Broadway.
Chaney said officers were checking on an occupied vehicle in a vacant business parking lot.
27 News requested the body camera footage as part of an open records request. Monona police provided the video from the two officers who responded to the scene.
The video shows a man get out of the car to speak with the officer. After they finish talking, the officer begins walking back to his squad car when two dogs jump out of the truck.
The dogs are seen running towards the officer before he's heard calling for back up.
He tells the other officer through his radio that he's been bit and needs him to get their as soon as possible.
As this is happening, the two dogs are seen running around him and barking.
The officer gets back into his squad car while waiting for his partner to show up.
Shortly after, several more dogs pile out of the truck and can be seen running around the parking lot.
According to Chaney, roughly nine dogs were seen, all of which charged the officers.
The video shows the two occupants of the vehicle chasing the dogs around the lot while trying to pick them up.
At some points, the dogs can be seen nearly going into the street while still lunging at officers and barking.
"The original officer was bit again on the upper thigh," Chaney said. "The second officer, after receiving a bite also on the upper thigh, successfully deployed a TASER on one of the aggressive dogs."
The bodycam video shows the officer deploy the taser as additional units were requested to the scene to retrieve animal catch poles.
"Multiple Dane County Animal Service Officers arrived and took custody of two of the more aggressive dogs believed to have bitten the officers (quarantine protocol)," Chaney said. "The owner was able to secure the other loose dogs."
Chaney told 27 News, the officers were treated and released for their bite wounds at a local hospital.
"Animal Services reported there to be past bite history with various dogs and the owner involved in this incident," he said. "MOPD is working with Humane/Animal Services on this case."
He said animal services is serving as the lead in this investigation based on the past history and the circumstances involved.
After 27 News originally reported on the incident, someone else came forward saying she was also attacked by the same group of dogs in Janesville.
She said she was chased by the dogs outside her apartment building and bit while trying to get inside.
The police report supports her claims and shows it happened in October of 2023.
Rock County Public Health records show the dogs have been involved in two bite incidents in Janesville. The first was in February of 2022 and the second was the incident in October of 2023.
However, 27 News has spoken with the owner of the dogs who maintains the dogs are not aggressive.
In an interview with the owner last month, she claimed the officer in this most recent incident, provoked the dogs and was already back in his squad car when they got out of her truck.
However, the body camera video shows that wasn't the case.
When 27 News reached out to her after obtaining the body camera footage, she said she feels the video was altered and does not accurately represent what happened in that parking lot.
She said her lawyer will be reviewing a separate video of the incident from a nearby establishment and will handle it in court.
She declined to show that video to 27 News.
The two dogs accused of biting the officers were taken to be quarantined for a time period.
Chaney said the owner was issued two citations for failing to control her animals.
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