Dog shot, killed at N.H. rest stop after attacking smaller pet

HOOKSETT, N.H. — The rest stop on I-93 north in Hooksett is supposed to be a place for taking a break, but on Wednesday it was the scene of a dangerous encounters between two dogs ad their owners.

New Hampshire State Police say that around 1 p.m. a large dog broke out of a parked car and attacked a smaller dog that was being walked near the entrance to a store at the rest stop.

Witnesses told police the owner of the small dog tried multiple times to get his pet free from the bigger dog’s jaws, but when he was unsuccessful he shot and killed the bigger dog.

Neither dog owner has been identified, but police said the small dog was taken to an emergency animal clinic for treatment.

At the Hooksett dog park, pet owners were horrified to learn of the shooting but also understanding.

“In a place like this, you can just let your dog run free. But when you're out in public, if your dog is aggressive you definitely need to keep it on a leash,” Leeann Ketcham said. “But I just feel really, really bad for the dog that died.”

Cox Media Group