Owner of dog found with mouth, eyes taped in Paso Robles says they were trying to train dog

PASO ROBLES, Calif. - The owner of a dog who was found in rural Paso Robles with its mouth and eyes taped shut has been located.

The owner told authorities they were trying to train the dog after the dog had killed and eaten some chickens.

Eric Anderson, San Luis Obispo County Animal Services manager, says the action was "a misguided effort to prevent it from attacking the chickens in the future."

The black labrador retriever was spotted Monday night around 9 p.m. on Loma Lane. The dog's eyes and mouth were taped shut when it wandered onto a residential yard. The homeowner called 911 and removed the tape before deputies arrived.

Representatives from the San Luis Obispo Animal Control Department say the do not believe there was any malicious intent in the incident.

Animal control is not yet labeling the incident as abuse or not, but says most animal abuse situations are unintentional.

"It's really usually situations where people are negligent at providing care." said Anderson. "Maybe they don't fully understand or recognize the consequences of what they're doing."

He advised that if anyone is struggling to train or manage their pet, they should contact a veterinarian, a professional trainer, or any animal welfare resource for help.

Animal control tells our newsroom that they consider what happened to be a "serious issue" and they are determining what, if any, legal action will be taken.