CANYON CITY, Ore. - A U.S. Forest Service officer shot and killed a pit bull at the Rainbow Gathering in Eastern Oregon.
The Forest Service says the officer was counting cars in a parking lot Tuesday when he saw two unleashed dogs with no people present in the area.
One of the dogs charged and was shot once. The officer said the dog's owners and others arrived after the dog was shot.
The dog was taken to an animal hospital in Canyon City. After veterinarians were unable to resuscitate the dog, it was euthanized. Its remains were returned to the owner, the Forest Service said.
An independent investigator is investigating the incident that sparked an angry reaction from the dog's owners and other attendees.
The counter-culture peace gathering began in 1972 and occurs each year in a different national forest. Forest Service officials said the event is unpermitted and unauthorized.
As many as 30,000 people are expected for this year's festival in the Malheur National Forest. It begins July 1, but some have arrived early.
The Forest Service said there have been at least 15 warnings and six citations issued for dogs that are a public nuisance at this year's Rainbow Gathering so far.
