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Cops Killing Dogs... This is something that happened twice in my town recently. Apparently police killing dogs, whether a threat or not, is a growing and nationwide phenomenon. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nearly 100 dogs shot by metro police since 2010 ATLANTA — A Channel 2 Action News investigation found nearly 100 cases of local officers shooting dogs within the past two years. The investigation looked into the heartbreaking circumstances when a police officer kills a family pet -- probably one of the most difficult scenarios for a pet owner and for police. Nearly two years after Basil was shot and killed in an empty lot by Fulton County Marshals, Elizabeth and Carey Cullifer said they still feel every bit of the pain. "She was a really kind and gentle dog," said Elizabeth Cullifer. She left their 45-pound dog outside alone for a moment. Marshals then came to their address with a civil lawsuit for someone who had not lived there in eight years. Then Cullifer heard gunshots. "I came out to see my dog in a pool of blood under the truck," said Carey Cullifer. It is a story Channel 2 Action News has heard over and over from pet owners whose dogs had been shot and killed by police. A Channel 2 Action News investigation uncovered dozens of cases all over the metro area. Individual department records show since 2010, dogs were shot 25 times in Atlanta, 32 times in DeKalb county, 19 times in Gwinnett County, 10 times in Clayton County and eight times in Cobb County, including the most recent shooting this past September. "I had to watch him bleed to death and gasp for air and they just stood there looking at me like I was stupid," a Cobb County man said. Cobb County officers responding to an alarm call shot and killed Luke, a chocolate lab when he ran out of the home barking. It was a false alarm. The officer said he felt threatened by the dog and was cleared by the department of any wrongdoing. In fact, every single case found in multiple departments, the officer was exonerated. "There isn't an officer out there I know that wants to shoot a dog, any animal!" said Kliff Grimes a national representative for the International Brotherhood of Police Officers. Grimes told Channel 2 that every day officers encounter dogs, some of them vicious. "That officer unfortunately has to make a split-second decision to protect himself so that he can go home to his family," said Grimes. When it comes to making that decision, Channel 2 only found one metro area department that requires officers to have training, specifically on how to respond to dogs. Cobb County started its training just this year. "Even if the officer is trained to deal with the dog, the dog isn't trained to deal with the officer," said Grimes. "I think it would be a help. It would be information that's certainly valuable," said Cyndy Dougan a dog trainer for 22 years. Dougan is an expert on dog behavior and she says the issue is not black and white. "I tell people even though you think you know how your dog is going to react in a situation where the police are called to the scene you may not be correct about that," said Dougan. Elizabeth Cullifer said in her case she knows Basil was not aggressive and she believes officer training is key. "With training there would be some accountability. There is no accountability in the situation with us. It was like he felt threatened, he shot your dog. That's it," she said. Animal behavior experts tell Channel 2 knowing animal behavior is everything in these types of situations. A dog that appears to be aggressive may really just be nervous. Dougan showed Channel 2's Erin Coleman how dogs at her kennel would respond to Coleman, a stranger. After letting several of the dogs go, one by one, unrestrained out into the yard. "It's going to be a surprise to them that we're even here," said Dougan. Some dogs did not pay attention to Coleman during the experiment, others started barking right away, running for her. "Sometimes tail high and wagging isn't really a good sign. Didn't that scare you?" Dougan asked Coleman. "A little bit," said Coleman. "A little bit, I saw you jump. If you push this dog hard enough, this dog would be dangerous," said Dougan. Another dog approached Coleman, "He's running away, he did not approach us, that is good," said Coleman. Dougan said knowing animal behavior is key. For years the U.S. Postal Service has trained its mail carriers on dealing with dogs. Georgia Power meter readers also receive some training. http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local...-police/nSrz7/ |
Dog Shot By Omaha Police Officer (video at link) An Omaha police officer shot and killed a dog on a public sidewalk. The officer’s report claims the shooting was justified; however, the owners call the incident an execution of a friendly, family pet. Mike McKnight obtained surveillance video of the incident for a Fact Finders exclusive. On October 7th, after midnight, police blocked a street in the area of 35th and Vinton to look for an armed suspect. They say Chris Schulte, who lives in the area, ignored orders to stop and walked the family dog toward the search area. He was arrested and his dog, Teela, shot. Chris Schulte said, “You know I should have got back but I was just walking on. Not threatening, dog wasn't being aggressive.” In the report by Officer Schuster and Officer Clement, the officers said “suspect’s dog became aggressive, growled at officers, and showed its teeth before being shot and killed.” Tim Wagner told Channel 6 News he watched the incident, live, from inside his home via a night vision security camera. Wagner said, “The dog didn't stand a chance. The dog did nothing aggressive. I've lived next to this dog two and a half years and it’s one of the best dogs.” Fact Finders checked with the Nebraska Humane Society. Teela, a Labrador, golden retriever mix, had a clean record with no history of bites or vicious behavior. Schulte says Teela belonged to his aunt, Michelle Meadows. Meadows said, “It was very shocking. I would think they would maybe taser her or something, if they thought she was being aggressive, but I don't think she was.” The police report described Schulte as intoxicated. He was arrested, at the scene, for obstructing police and resisting arrest. He claims Teela, who was still on a leash, didn’t threaten to attack officers before one of them shot her. “They didn't have to shoot em. Not at all. (It was an) Execution,” said Schulte. Fact Finders showed the video to Omaha police command staff, whom provided a response. Lt. Darci Tierney said, “The Omaha Police Department is aware of the incident and Chief Schmaderer has authorized an Internal Investigation into the matter. As with all personnel matters, the Omaha Police Department is unable to comment further. Per OPD policy, anytime an officer discharges his/her firearm during the course of their duties an arduous review of the discharge will take place.” Channel 6 News did pay for the rights to air the video. VIDEO UPDATE EXCLUSIVE: Dog Shot By Omaha Police Officer |
Eldorado Man Accuses Police of Killing Dog ELDORADO -- An Eldorado man is demanding justice after he says a police officer shot and killed his dog. The Eldorado Police Department won't comment on the incident because it is under investigation. The dog's owner, Jason Robershaw, says the shooting was a gross error of judgement by an officer, and he wants to make sure his dog's death doesn't get swept under the rug. "He was my best friend, so I just don't want this to go away quietly," said Robershaw. Robershaw's six-year-old German Shepherd, Smokey, was more than a dog, he was a member of the family. "I just sat here and watched my dog die," said Robershaw. Robershaw said he and his fiancée were eating dinner last Sunday evening, when they heard a knock at the back door. A few moments later they heard a bark, a gunshot, then silence. "Immediately when I opened the door I saw my dog lying there about 18-inches from the end of his chain. He was just shaking, and his tongue was hanging out and blood was coming out," said Robershaw. Robershaw said an Eldorado officer told him he feared for his life. He claimed the dog came at him and attacked him when he knocked on the door. Robershaw says his dog was not dangerous, and he believes the officer made a poor decision out of panic. "The officer had no right to come on my private property and shoot my dog, which was on a leash. The dog was doing what it's supposed to do. It is the protector of this house," said Robershaw. To make matters worse, Robershaw said it all could have been avoided. "He was at the wrong house, he was here to investigate a stolen ladder," said Robershaw. Robershaw says that the house the officer wanted was actually one block away. "I can't say exactly what happened in the two to three seconds that it took for me to get to the door, but all I know is within that two to three seconds my dog was laying on the ground. It's something I'm going to remember for the rest of my life," said Robershaw. News 3 filed a freedom of information request for a copy of the police report. Police Chief Shannon Deuel says it should be ready for release on Monday. The officer at the center of the investigation remains on active duty. Chief Deuel says the officer has worked at the department just short of one year. Eldorado Man Accuses Police of Killing Dog | WSILTV | Local News |
Family wants action after officer guns down family pet (video report at link) ST. LOUIS, MI (WNEM) - A local family is still shocked after what happened to their beloved pet. They say their dog was shot and killed at the hands of a police officer. The shooting happened Saturday in St. Louis, Mich., in Gratiot County. Lori Walmsley, a neighbor of the family who lost their pet, says she saw the incident. Walmsley says she was outside playing with her own dog when her neighbor's golden retriever, Scout, ran over into her yard. She says she called the dog over to play, which Scout did, and then Scout ran back over back into his own yard. That's when Walmsley says a police officer showed up. Walmsley said the officer asked if the was dog hers. She said "no," but told the officer Scout wasn't dangerous. She says the officer tried to catch the dog, who apparently didn't want to be caught. The dog tried to run away and when cornered by the officer, let out a little growl. Walmsley says she couldn't believe what happened next. "I heard 'pop pop pop pop pop,' and I thought, 'what is going on,' and I [saw] the St. Louis Police Department standing over my dog," said Scout's owner. "He just started shooting him, he just kept shooting him in the head," said Walmsley. "I said, 'What are you doing? He's just a puppy!'" The dog was taken to the vet were it later died. The witness says the officer wasn't provoked and she doesn't feel his reaction was warranted. Scout's owners were inside their house during the incident. Family wants action after officer guns down pet - WNEM TV 5 |
Sheriff defends deputy who responded to wrong house, killed tethered dog The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office announced Thursday that it would not be pursuing disciplinary action against a deputy who fatally shot a tethered dog earlier this week. Richard Woodruff was inside his Spartanburg, S.C. home Monday morning when he heard barking followed by a gunshot. The man rushed outside to check on his 8-year-old shepherd mix, Diamond, who had been playing out front while tethered to the porch railing. "I ran outside and I see this guy standing over my dog holding a gun," Woodruff told Channel 7 news. "'I said, 'Why did you shoot my dog?' And his response to me was, 'Sir, she tried to bite me.' I said, 'She tried to bite you? She can't go any further to get you!'" According to Woodruff, the dog was at the limit of her tether and could not advance any further when she was shot by plain-clothed deputy Eric Boutin. "All he had to do was take a couple of steps back and she could not have bitten him," Woodruff said in the Channel 7 interview. Woodruff also pointed out the "Beware of Dog" sign attached to an oak tree on his lawn. The man states that the deputy parked his car in front of the sign and then walked right past it. Following Diamond's shooting, Woodruff learned that the deputy had come to the property to serve child support papers on a man who did not live there. As a matter of fact, Woodruff says that he has lived in the home for five years and has no idea who the man is. Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright has expressed remorse over the incident, but states that Deputy Boutin will not be punished for the shooting of Diamond. Wright justified the shooting by saying that there was a chance the tether could have slipped off which would have resulted in Boutin being bitten. Diamond's bereaved owner is not satisfied with the department's response and does not believe that his tethered 35 pound dog posed a serious risk to the deputy. He plans on pursuing legal action against the department. Sheriff defends deputy who responded to wrong house, killed tethered dog - Philadelphia animal protection | Examiner.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you check the dates on these stories, I only went back to August of this year. I'm barely scratching the surface. There is a website dedicated to dogs that have been victims of the police. Here's the link. Dogs that Cops Killed |
Welcome back! Wow, this is quite disgusting, and very sad for all the owners.... |
Do you have first hand experience with this subject? |
Additionally, I think any officer who has been bitten by a dog previous to being an officer or while an officer should receive counseling and additional training, why? Because they are human and being bitten by a dog, almost attacked by a dog, is very stressful/traumatic and many, many, many people suffer PTSD like symptoms after such an occurence. |
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Police use deadly force on dog; Owner wonders why - WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi Police shoot chained Pit bull - National Dogs | Examiner.com I started this thread to create awareness about a growing trend with law enforcement killing innocent dogs. There are surely cases where such action may be justified, but I've posted several that aren't and could spam this thread with many more. Postmen and meter readers often encounter dogs, but I don't hear about about them leaving dead dogs in their wake. You would think that police should have the training to not pull out a gun as first choice in any situation. Here's a story that is particularly heartbreaking and could happen to any one of us. Lillie, a border collie, was shot in her own yard when a police officer showed up at the wrong address. A neighbor heard the officer say he thought it was a pit bull (as it that makes it all right). Video at link: Police officer shoots and kills family's dog after responding to wrong address - KDAF |
Wow that is concerning. What about public safety? What if the bullet had exited the body and had hit another person? I do hope these officers get some training on how to handle animals. It seems like all the police departments by approving their action are condoning use of excessive force when dealing with animals. That is just horrible |
Wow. . . . I think they need to send all the officers to the post office training! |
This is not ALL law enforcement officers. As a LEO, we are trained how to use or weapons both lethal and non-lethal. I personally have been to a home on several occasions and had no problems with the owners dog. Then one day I showed up and for no reason it pinned me up against the house. Shocked me and the owner!! Luckily it was a well trained dog and listen to the owners command. I have also had experiences with dogs only to have the owner assure me that the dog was friendly and NEVER acted aggressive before. I am not excusing what happened, but I will not judge since I coud find myself in a similar situation. I start everyday hoping I will not have to use my firearm on any creature. |
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If you read through the examples I gave, you saw that in several instances the LEO either went to the wrong house or shot a dog that was on a chain/leash and presented no threat, yet still was shot. This is inexcusable. As I stated, I could provide many more examples to illustrate how widespread this problem is becoming. The examples I gave don't seem to follow the protocol for use of deadly force, yet these officers are facing no consequence for their actions. Is it because it's 'just a dog'? I would argue that improper use of deadly force is a serious matter, even if it is just a dog. An officer that is quick to fire his/her weapon is a threat to public safety. As was mentioned earlier, what about the possibility of a stray shot hitting an innocent person? Since you have been confronted by dogs and have not felt the need to kill one, obviously you are not part of the problem. In fact, most officers are not part of the problem. However, there are enough instances of innocent dogs being killed to say that there certainly is a problem. |
At no point did I say it was not a problem. I did not responded to start an agreement or defend LEO's. I just wanted to show some examples were a non- aggressive dog could turn aggressive. As you said it could happened to anyone. My 5 pound Nigel is a beast if he feels I am in danger and not to make light of the subject, but I have learned the smaller ones are the ones to watch out for. I have been bite more than once in my life and it did not change my attitude towards animals. If the officer is wrong or " trigger happy" he/she needs to be dealt with. I have seen this topic on other forums turn into a smear campaign and I love my profession. As any job you have the good, the bad and unfourteneatly the ugly. I will leave this forum to you guys. Have a good day and be safe. |
I guess I don't believe everything in the newspapers or on the television. They are good at leading the stories where they want it to go. Just saying....... |
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My point is there is no comparison between what a mailman and a Police Officer face on a daily basis.... Two of my dogs were extremely protective (labs) of my kids....there was a situation at our house that the police and fire department came in to our home, (we had a fire) the situation was chaos, three of the dogs were running around like bonkers, and the two "watch dogs" were hiding in their dog house...I was surprised by the behaviors of all 5 dogs that day...the police did not shoot or kill any of them....they handled the situation beautifully. Also, all humans make mistakes....I can't imagine facing vicious people and animals all day long and what it must be like. My husband (soon to be ex) is a wonderful LEO (despite his faults) one time he came home from work, changed his clothes, bagged up some dog food and water...I asked where he was going...he was going to feed the vicious dog of someone he had to arrest...he knew the crim would be in jail till atleast the next day.... JUST sayin... |
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CHICAGO (CBS) – Al Phillips wants to know why a Chicago police officer shot his dog while writing a traffic ticket outside his house. “My neighbor called and told me I was getting a ticket on my van. When I opened the fence, my puppy ran out. That’s when I heard two gunshots and the officer shot my dog,” Phillips said. Phillips said he had parked his van in the driveway, but it was blocking part of the sidewalk. When he came out of his house to talk to the officer writing the ticket, his 7-month-old, 30-pound miniature bull terrier, named Colonel Phillips, was right behind him. “The little puppy dog followed me out, went a bit ahead of me, and all of a sudden, ‘boom-boom.’ They shot the dog. The officer shot the dog,” he said. The Colonel survived, but had a bullet in his leg, and fragments in its abdomen. “Luckily he’ll survive,” Phillips said. “We were going to show him but now we can’t. He’ll never be the same.” His daughter, Morgan Phillips, said Colonel never acted in a threatening manner, and never attacked the officer. “No, Colonel was running around wagging his tail. He’s a puppy. He’s 7 months old. He’s around five kids all the time,” she said. Morgan Phillips said police returned to her parents’ home after the story of the shooting made it on the local news. “Last night, when reporters were here, when the cops found out about it, they came here, they went to my parents’ door, knocked on the door, and said, ‘Why did you go to the press? Why did you go to the media?’” Morgan Phillips. She said her mother wanted to know why police had showed up to the house, and then “they wrote them a ticket for the dog being off a leash.” “I think its harassment. I think it’s crazy. I mean, an ‘I’m sorry’ would have been more sufficient than coming to write another ticket,” Morgan Phillips said. “Sometimes people just have to admit when they’re wrong, and this is wrong. This is wrong; beyond wrong.” Al Phillips has filed a lawsuit against Chicago police for excessive force. The suit names Officer Brandon Pettigrew as the cop who shot The Colonel. “It’s totally absolutely irresponsible for the guy to shoot his gun,” Phillips added. “One could’ve ricocheted and hit someone. There were a lot of people walking around.” He has also filed a complaint with the Police Department, and is seeking sanctions against the officer who wounded The Colonel. “That this person is allowed to carry a gun, I believe is absolutely irresponsible,” he said. Police said the shooting was being investigated by the Independent Police Review Authority. Chicago Family Suing Police After Officer Shot Their Puppy CBS Chicago |
Caught on camera: Dogs attack police officer in Idaho | Local & Regional | KATU.com - Portland News, Sports, Traffic Weather and Breaking News - Portland, Oregon There are thousands everyday, who are not killed by police.... All dogs regardless of the situation need to be under the control of their owners, they have a split second to determine puppy from attacker? They are to wait and see? I'm sorry I do agree that cops need to be trained, but so do the owners of dogs, when a cop sees a gun or a dog coming at him....what is he suppose to do? For every dog video you post there is another on the opposing view...it all comes down that owners need to be accountable for their dogs? Its very sad and I understand your view, I really do...and I respect it; however, I can see the flip side too.... |
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That story if it is factual has so much wrong with it. You shoot past a human to what kill a small 40 odd pound dog? That is your first response? God help us. That officer needs a whole lot more training. |
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I have only posted instances where the dog was clearly innocent and was yet shot, usually killed. My last post was of a 7 month old MINATURE Bull Terrier PUPPY that was shot. Are you seriously going to argue that shooting was justified? If a cop can't distinguish between a puppy and and a real dog attack, that cop doesn't need to be carrying a gun. Quote:
The link you posted shows that both cops were carrying mace, yet the one cop shoots the dog and the other cop is seen coming around the house with his gun drawn. Here's a money-saving tip for that PD. Stop issuing mace..they ain't using it anyway. If you want to play tit-for-tat with this thread, you're a few dogs behind, but that's not the point. This thread is about innocent dogs being killed. |
I am aware of the topic of this thread, you posted your view, I respected and respectfully posted mine, this after all is what a forum is. LEO's across the country answer calls where dogs are present thousands and thousands of times a day, because millions of people own dogs; hence the thousands that aren't killed...the dog in question may be miniature but by no means is tiny.. Obviously in every aspect of life, in every line of business errors are made, but more often than not they are just that, errors; again, I say there are far more people and LEO's bitten by dogs then cops killing them. Gemy, I totally understend what your saying and agree, gratefully these types of incidents are far and few between.... Again, I respect your view on this topic and I respect that it is a cause you advocate for, I am glad there are people like you, and me...we can make a difference! |
Originally published December 1, 2012 at 6:51 PM | Page modified December 3, 2012 at 6:00 AM Half of intentional shootings by police involve dogs, study says Dog shootings by police are mostly avoidable and preventable, say groups pushing for officers to learn more about animal behavior. By Mike Carter Seattle Times staff reporter There has never been a documented case of a dog killing a police officer. The same can't be said for police killing dogs. Every year, hundreds — if not thousands — of animals, mostly canines, are killed by police or animal-control officers. According to the National Canine Research Council, up to half of the intentional shootings by police involve dogs. Sometimes, the animals have been injured and need to be put out of their misery. Sometimes, they are vicious and killed for reasons of public or officer safety. But mostly, they die tragically and needlessly, victims of misunderstanding, prejudice or simple convenience, according to animal-rights and behavior experts. Usually, police simply aren't properly trained or don't have the resources to deal with canine encounters, the experts say. The Internet is peppered with memorials to family pets gunned down by officers. There's Axel, the 18-month-old Labrador therapy dog-in-training shot in November by an animal-control officer in Charles City, Va., for chasing a neighbor boy. Bully, Boss and Kahlua, a trio of dogs, were killed in August by police in Palm Beach, Fla., while officers were trying to arrest a friend of the dogs' owner. On Nov. 2, police in Middleton, Ohio, shot and killed a 30-pound pet pig after it reportedly tried to bite an officer. The pig was on a leash, according to news reports. Then there's Rosie, the 4-year-old Newfoundland who was twice shot with a Taser, chased from her yard and then repeatedly shot by Des Moines police after a neighbor had reported her loose and was worried she might get hurt. A federal lawsuit filed by her owners last month, two years after her death — death that experts say happens much too often and can easily be avoided — has reopened wounds and stoked public outrage. The officers involved were cleared of wrongdoing by the department, and Rosie's owners, Deirdre and Charles Wright, failed in their attempts to have them charged criminally. "This has got to be a huge embarrassment for that department. And it was very preventable," said Donald Cleary, the director of communications for the National Canine Research Council (NCRC) in Amenia, N.Y., which studies human-canine relations. "It's like they just ran out of ideas." Even the federal Department of Justice (DOJ) has recognized the issue. Last year, the DOJ published a 46-page police training and information guide, "The Problem of Dog-Related Incidents and Encounters," through its Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The report, funded by a grant from the NCRC and developed by the University of Illinois Center for Public Safety and Justice, aims to dispel myths about dogs and dog bites and provide resources to help police develop nonlethal strategies for officer-dog encounters. The report followed a 2010 position paper by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which concluded that "most instances of police shooting dogs are avoidable" and urged departments to train officers to better understand dog behavior and to use the minimum force necessary to deal with it. The COPS report provides just that sort of useful information to street officers, said Cleary, who was one of its co-authors. For example, it contains diagrams to help officers assess the threat posed by a dog based on its "posture, vocalizations and facial expressions," and provides defensive options short of deadly force to avoid encounters with agitated, frightened or aggressive animals. "They are very preventable, and most wouldn't happen if police knew just a little bit more about dogs," he said. COPS Director Bernard Melekian, a former Pasadena, Calif., police chief and K-9 officer, wrote in a preface to the report that the number of dogs killed by law enforcement is on the increase and that "officers must advance beyond automatically using their weapons when encountered by a dog." The report seeks to dispel myths about dogs and dog bites. For instance, despite reports of a "dog-bite epidemic," the number of dog bites has decreased over the past 30 years while canine populations have steadily grown, the report says. In New York City, for example, there were 37,000 reports of dog bites in 1971. In 2009, the number was fewer than 3,600. At the same time, the majority of police-involved shootings involve animals, mostly dogs. While national numbers are not available, the report contends that statistics kept by cities that track such incidents bear this out. For example, the report says that nearly three-quarters of the police shootings in Milwaukee, Wis., from 2000 to 2002 involved dogs. Information provided by a number of California law-enforcement agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department, indicate at least half of the intentional discharges of firearms by police between 2000 and 2005 involved animals, the report says. Some cities have seen improvements as they've moved toward integrating animal-control and law-enforcement agencies. Last year in New York City, 43 dogs were shot in 36 different incidents, according to the NYPD's 2011 Firearms Discharge Report, which contains a section titled "Animal Attack." It noted that NYPD officers responded to 28,000 calls for service involving dogs or other animals during the year. Five officers and two civilians were bitten during the shooting incidents, the report says. The Seattle Police Department requires a Firearms Review Board to convene and formally review any incident involving an officer shooting at a person. However, it allows for a less stringent "summary review" of incidents involving dogs, said Becky Roe, a Seattle attorney and the civilian auditor of the SPD's Firearms Review Board. Roe said she has not seen a Firearms Review Board report involving a dog shooting in the six years she's held the job, but that she has no information about the summary reviews. Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said he had no information about dog shootings outside the shooting-review process. King County sheriff's Sgt. Cindi West said it has been difficult for her office to track shootings involving animals, since up until just recently, deputies were not required to write a separate report about such incidents. She said all of the shootings are reviewed by command staff. "It certainly happens," she said. As witnessed by the outrage directed at the Des Moines Police Department over the death of Rosie, few incidents can undermine public confidence in a police department faster than the questionable shooting of someone's pet, Cleary said. "It's not about animal rights. And nobody is questioning an officer's right to protect himself or the public," Cleary said. "But police need to know, to really understand, is that it just doesn't look good." And it can be expensive. While dogs do not have civil rights, their owners do, and courts have delivered some significant verdicts over the death of a pet. In perhaps the most noteworthy case, the California cities of San Jose, Gilroy and Santa Clara paid a total of $1.8 million to the families of two Hells Angels whose three pet dogs were shot by police serving a search warrant in a homicide investigation. North Carolina last year paid a family $77,000 and then passed a law requiring state troopers to receive training in dog behavior after an officer shot Patton, a pit-bull mix that bounded out of a car with a wagging tail after a trooper had pulled the family over on a mistaken report of a robbery. The incident was captured on videotape. |
I find it absolutely appalling. There is no need to KILL a dog unless it's attached to an officer's leg or body and injuring him. Otherwise, there is so many other options... I do not understand why guns are always used so quickly. Here is a whole page with tons of stories: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dogs-...88434097845629 It happens a LOT. And it's absolutely ridiculous. No excuse! As said, dogs will act different in scary or tense situations. That does not mean they deserve to die. If a cop came into my house, Jackson would most likely bark like crazy and act 'aggressive'... he's the farthest thing from aggressive though, and if a cop decided to shoot him, I can't even fathom. These are FAMILY pets. |
Please allow me to inappropriately interrupt this good convo to say how great it is to see The Woogie here!!!! Happy Holidays, Jim :). Back to the program... |
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Back to the subject. Here's the link for the report mentioned in my last post. http://cops.usdoj.gov/Publications/e...idents-508.pdf My opinion is that the fact that there IS a report detailing and acknowledging this issue is evidence that a problem exists. |
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The report followed a 2010 position paper by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which concluded that "most instances of police shooting dogs are avoidable" and urged departments to train officers to better understand dog behavior and to use the minimum force necessary to deal with it. I don't know if anything is being done. May be too soon to tell. There are still a lot of these instances occurring, so the problem isn't 'fixed' yet. The answer has to be in training, not legislation. I can think of no way to construct a law specific to LEOs. It may take a few successful lawsuits to prompt change. Hopefully, we'll see less and less of this happening in the future. |
Update Colorado senators to introduce bill to require cops take dog training Two Colorado senators alarmed at the number of incidents where police have shot dogs are planning to introduce a bill next week that would require officers to take annual canine classes. Sens. Lucia Guzman, a Denver Democrat, and David Balmer, a Centennial Republican, said they hope the training will help police understand the difference between a barking dog and a dangerous dog. "Landscaping companies, delivery companies — they deal with dogs all the time, and they don't shoot dogs," Balmer said. Both Balmer and Guzman own dogs. Among those expected to testify in favor of their bill is Gary Branson of Pueblo, whose 4-year-old labrador mix was shot multiple times by a Commerce City police officer after the pet escaped a relative's home. A draft copy of Balmer and Guzman's bill mentions the death of Branson's dog, Chloe, and other dogs shot by police in the metro area. The bill would require police departments to adopt policies and procedures for dealing with dogs, including allowing owners to first try to handle the pet. Officers must initially go through a two-hour course, then a one-hour refresher course annually, which could be Web or video training. The bill includes exceptions for using force, such as when police are responding to a dangerous dog call or violent crime. "We think the bill strikes the right balance," Balmer said. "It is very respectful of law enforcement, but it is intended to safeguard our beloved dogs." The bill deals only with dogs. "I don't know of an officer shooting a cat," Balmer said. "We want to make sure people know we aren't talking about a fox that comes into some neighborhood," Guzman said. Branson's attorney, Jennifer Edwards of The Animal Law Center, said the bill is needed. "The reason I think it is important is dogs are not just property to most people, they are their short, hairy children," she said. "They are a part of the family, and it is absolutely devastating to lose an animal and to lose an animal so wrongfully when it could be solved by better training and better understanding of dog behavior." In Branson's case, the 58-year-old left Chloe with a relative while visiting his brother in California last November. The dog got out through an open garage door and was running around the neighborhood. Commerce City police said the dog was aggressive and continued to behave that way after being restrained with an animal-control noose. Chloe was shocked with a Taser and then shot multiple times. Commerce City police Officer Robert Price faces a felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals, which the state Fraternal Order of Police has called "outrageous." Colorado senators to introduce bill to require cops take dog training - The Denver Post |
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