Thanks to The Huffington Post for this tidbit, although it’s also on most of the news sites by now.

From the HuffPo:

In his defense, he insists the dog started it.

A Mason, Ohio man was given a ticket Sunday after allegedly taunting a police dog, according to the New York Daily News. Cops had initially shown up at the bar in order to investigate a car accident.

Ryan James Stevens, 25, was officially charged with teasing the police dog after police returned to their cruiser only to find the allegedly intoxicated young man making noises at the dog in the back of their cruiser, according to the Associated Press.

The AP reported:

Officer Bradley Walker wrote that he heard the K9 dog barking uncontrollably inside his patrol car while he was investigating a car crash at a pub early Sunday morning. Walker says Stephens was making barking noises and hissing at the animal.

When asked why he was harassing the dog, named Timber, Stevens reportedly said, “He started it.”

According to the NY Daily News he was ticketed and released into the custody of a bar employee who drove him home safely. The amount for which Stevens was cited has not been reported.

Yeah. The dog started it. You read that right.