SC deputy attacked by K-9 he was handling is expected to return to duty after serious injury

The Greenville County sheriff’s deputy who was bitten by a K-9 and hospitalized has been cleared of wrongdoing by the agency’s Department of Professional Standards.

The dog, a Belgian Malinois named Peytie, was shot to death by someone at the house after he did not release the deputy.

Lt. Ryan Flood of the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said Monday the deputy, who was caring for the dog while the primary handler was in training, was getting the 2-year-old dog out of his kennel when the dog attacked. The dog was not provoked, he said.

The deputy, an experienced dog handler, was not on duty at the time and was at a house in Pickens County.

He has not returned to full duty from injuries sustained in the May 21 attack but is expected to make a full recovery, Flood said.

The dog was told repeatedly to release, and people tried without success to get the dog off the deputy before a relative went to their car to get a gun and shot the dog, Flood said.