Dog that killed sea lion belongs to Gabby Giffords’ stepdaughter

A dog that killed a sea lion in Laguna Beach over the weekend belonged to the stepdaughter of former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, local media reported.

A witness’ video shows the 65-pound American bulldog mix attacking the sea lion while Giffords’ husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, and her stepdaughter try to free the sea lion from the dog’s grip.

Jen Bluestein, senior advisor to the Giffords and Kelly’s Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC, confirmed to the Orange County Register that the dog belonged to Giffords’ stepdaughter.

Giffords was not at the scene when the incident occurred, Bluestein told the Los Angeles Times in an email.

The dog lives with Giffords’ stepdaughter in Houston; Giffords, who survived being shot in the head by a gunman at a shopping center in 2011, lives with Kelly in Tucson.

Police did not cite the owner “because it was legal for her to have the dog on the beach this time of year, and she did have it leashed. It was so strong that it pulled free of her when it saw the [sea lion],” said Laguna Beach Police Capt. Jason Kravetz.

It’s illegal for an owner to encourage a dog to attack marine life.

“That wasn’t the case in this situation,” Kravetz said.

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