Photography

Trained to "bite and hold" suspects, some K-9 patrol dogs in the Puget Sound area have bitten innocent bystanders more than once, inflicting major injuries and triggering expensive lawsuits.

A Seattle Times review of dog-bite claims from the risk managers and insurers of more than 100 Washington cities and counties shows such incidents happen several times a year in the state.

Over the past five years, at least 17 people claim they were mistakenly attacked by police dogs from Western Washington law-enforcement agencies. As a result, the agencies have paid nearly $1 million in damages, with several large claims pending.

In many cases, individual dogs are responsible for several attacks, an issue that dog trainers and experts say is a warning sign that the dog and handler might need additional training.

'This was a torture session.'

GENEVIEVE ALVAREZ AND BETTINA HANSEN / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Mark Roberts awoke to a helicopter above his Puyallup home one night in September 2008. As he stepped outside for a closer look, he was violently attacked by K-9 Officer Vasko, a Pierce County sheriff's police dog. Read the story.

'Get him, boy! Get him, boy!'

GENEVIEVE ALVAREZ AND STEVE RINGMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Noel Saldana was walking to his sister's house after an early morning argument with his wife in June 2010, when he was attacked by Lakewood police K-9 Officer Astor who tore out a fist-sized piece of his calf. Read the story.

'Sometimes these things happen.'

GENEVIEVE ALVAREZ AND STEVE RINGMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Chad Boyles left a party at his house late on May 7, 2011. Walking through a familiar embankment in his neighborhood, he suddenly found himself trying to hold off an attack by Lakewood police K-9 Officer Astor. Read the story.