A Cleveland Electric Illuminating meter reader says he had no choice but to pepper spray 180 pound Charlotte.
Charlotte’s owner says her home security surveillance video tells a different story.
The beloved, energetic, massive hunk of dog goes by “Princess Charlie” at the Freydrych’s Eastlake home where Charlotte has her own room and couch.
"This is like my daughter," said Kim Freydrych.
She’s watched the video of Charlotte being pepper sprayed too many times to count.
"I was livid. Shaking. Angry” she says as she points to a “Beware of Dog” sign posted on the gate.
"Would you walk into a backyard with this sign?" she asks.
"When there is a door right there and a truck in the driveway, he could have knocked. He told his boss he did. He didn't because I pointed to my surveillance camera," said Freydrych.
Their surveillance video shows Charlotte running out before the meter reader sprays the pepper spray the first time.
"She saw him...and he sprayed her! See her shaking her head?" she says, pointing to the surveillance screen.
Kim’s interpretation of the dog she knows is this.
"Tail wagging, galloping like a pony and he maced her!" she says.
The CEI spokesperson says the meter reader felt threatened and that the dog was “charging."
That is exactly the situation in which meter readers are trained to use the pepper spray.
"I heard her yelp. I opened my bedroom window and said what?! Did you just mace my dog? He said, 'yes I had to. It’s my job to protect myself'."
The video shows he sprays Charlotte again when he feels threatened on the way out.
Charlotte had blood shot eyes and vomited, but Kim’s misunderstood 180 pound baby seems to be no worse for the wear now.
The CEI spokesman says, they called the Freydrych home the day before to say they were coming.
Kim says there was no voicemail and no record on her call log and that common sense should have prevailed before the gate was even opened.
CEI is saying they will install an automatic meter reader in the Freydrych’s backyard, to avoid interaction with Princess Charlie in the future.
"She's just a big ol' moose as my neighbor calls her," smiles Kim.