In Carson: Canine 'Land shark' takes a bite out of deputy

A dog-leery Carson City deputy was recovering Wednesday after being bitten by a uniform-hating dog.

Deputy Dean Williams was sent out to the 1600 block of East Long Street on a 911-hangup call at 9:55 p.m. Tuesday. There, he met a woman at the door of her apartment.

"I said, 'Sheriff's Department, did you guys just call 911?' And the woman said, 'Yes I did, but it was on accident.' Then a dog comes running out of the apartment," said Williams.

Williams said he gets a lot of razzing from his co-workers for being leery of dogs, but since he was bitten as a child, the memory has stayed with him.

"So the dog just runs out and it doesn't charge me or anything. And before I can say, 'Hey ma'am, can you get your dog,' it just charges me like crazy, totally biting my right inner thigh. It was so fast. A sneak attack. I didn't have time to react."

Williams said he tried to draw his weapon as the akita/shepherd mix had the deputy's leg locked in its mouth.

"I spun around, reaching for my gun. I fall on the ground. Before I could even break the snap (on the holster) the dog had already run inside the house," he said.

He said the woman and her friend who witnessed the incident, "were standing there with their mouths open."

He said the owner explained: "He doesn't like uniforms."

Despite his pants in tatters and his leg dripping blood, Williams finished the call, which turned out to be a verbal argument between a couple.

Animal control came and collected the 11-year-old dog named Thor and put him in quarantine. If the dog does not develop a sickness within 10 days it will be returned to its owner.

Williams went to the hospital and was given a tetanus shot and some antibiotics. He said he'll probably take a day or two off work since his leg is swollen and "oozing."

If nothing else, Williams noted, this incident proves he's not crazy for being a little scared of dogs.

"Man, they're like land sharks," he said.