In South San Francisco, a police sergeant shot down two off-leash and unattended pit bulls after he found them in an alleyway violently ripping a cat to pieces. The owner, who is understandably distraught, tells the Examiner that the dogs - rescue pups named Molly and Sam - were always "playful" and "friendly". While we're hesitant to perpetuate the media's image of pit bulls as vicious attack dogs, they were, you know, ripping a cat to pieces.

So, before this story tears animal lovers in half, pitting cat people vs. dog people, we should also point out that the officer in question was not only concerned for his own safety when he fired on the dogs, but also "the welfare of transients known to sleep in the area." It's like Humane Treatment Bingo and we all just lost.

[SFExaminer]