NC Cops Shoot Dog then Gas Him to Death, “Counseled” Not to Gas Pets in Future

In Thomasville NC, police officers are charged with handling animal control duties on weekends.  Last year on Thanksgiving weekend, Thomasville police officer Lee Patton and Cpl. Jeff McCrary responded to a call about an aggressive dog at large.  Officer Patton reportedly shot the dog in the face and shoulder after the dog “charged” him.  The wounded dog ran away but was later located on a nearby street.  Several residents gathered at the scene of the shooting.  In order to protect these residents, the officers loaded up the wounded dog, drove him to the Davidson Co Animal Shelter – operated by the Davidson Co sheriff’s office – stuffed him in the gas chamber and flipped the switch.

Several questions arise:

• Was lethal force the only option available to the officers when the loose dog “charged”?  Could a catch pole, tranquilizer or non-lethal weapon have been utilized instead?

• After the wounded dog ran away and was found nearby, was he still a threat to the residents who had gathered at the scene of the shooting?  Would that threat have been eliminated simply by removing the dog from the scene and bringing him to a vet clinic or shelter for care?

• Did the officers scan the dog for a microchip, examine him for ID tags and tattoos, check lost dog reports, post the dog online or make any effort whatsoever to locate the dog’s owner before gassing him?

• Did the officers complete the appropriate records in conjunction with the dog’s killing?  Did they verify death using a method prescribed by state law after the gassing cycle was complete?  Did they clean the gas chamber and dispose of the dog’s carcass in accordance with state law?

NC state law dictates that only a “certified euthanasia technician” may kill pets at a shelter and prohibits the gassing of pets who are “near death”.  Neither officer in this case is a certified euthanasia technician.  It is unknown if the dog was near death at the time of gassing but having been shot in the face and been rendered unable to flee more than a block away, it’s certainly a relevant question to my mind.

Shelley Swaim, a state animal welfare technician and Lee Hunter, a veterinarian and the director of the N.C. Veterinary Division’s animal welfare division, investigated the killing.  [Note to readers:  Sit down.  Hold on to something solid.  Remember to breathe.]

[T]he officers didn’t technically violate the code because they are not shelter employees and are not covered by it, Hunter said.

As of a December 27, 2011 letter written by Thomasville Police Chief Jeff Insley, officers are now prohibited from using the gas chamber at the pound.  And:

[T]he two officers who euthanized the dog were counseled about using the shelter’s equipment, including its gas chamber.

So there ya go.  Honestly, the determination that NC state law doesn’t apply to the actions of these officers at the pound because they are not employed by the pound makes the Chewbacca Defense seem well-reasoned and logical.  I fear this finding could be interpreted as an open call to wannabe pet killers to stroll on into any NC pet gassing facility and fulfill their heart’s desire since they too can likely avoid prosecution by claiming they don’t work for the pound.  Assuming they can face the “counseling”, of course.

Drama Police

Police in Charlotte were called to a home on a drug complaint.  Scary.  A complaint regarding drugs.  There’s a war on drugs, did you know?

A K-9 officer was called because a Pitbull was there.  A regular police officer maybe shouldn’t attempt to deal with the presence of such a bloodthirsty beast.  Best to call in a specialist.  It’s a tricky situation.

The Pitbull “attacked” the K-9 officer.  ZOMG.  Hysteria.  Violence.

The K-9 officer shot the dog to death.  Whew.  Disaster averted.  That killer canine could have taken out everybody in the place.

The gory details:

The dog bite did not break the officer’s skin.

Oh.  I see.  erm…

Do over.

Dear K-9 officer,
When a dog bites without breaking the skin – that’s called restraint.  It’s a concept you might want to learn more about.

MS Police Officer Shoots Chained Dog Six Times

In Gulfport, MS, police were called to a subdivision to investigate a possible break-in.  During the course of the investigation, an officer went into the backyard of a neighbor’s home where she encountered the owner’s chained dog.  The owner, who was just coming outside to get his dog, says the officer was standing approximately 30 feet from the end of the dog’s chain when she put half a dozen bullets in the dog.

Samuel Lovato rushed his beloved pet – named Melmo – to the vet but the injuries were too extensive and euthanasia was performed in order to relieve Melmo’s suffering.  Mr. Lovato:

“I’ve had her for 11 years. Eleven years. She was a great dog, a good dog and she was just in her yard doing her job and just being a dog.”

Police will investigate themselves, as usual:

Police are looking into the incident, according to Lt. Craig Petersen with the Gulfport Police Department.

“First, we need to conduct our internal investigation,” Lt. Petersen said.  “I feel really bad for the gentleman and the loss of his dog, but we’ll conduct the internal investigation.”

He also said that officers have to make life and death decisions in an instant, including assessing threats from animals.

“The officer has discretion in how to protect themselves in these situations, totally up to the officer based on the facts and circumstances of that particular case.”

Sound like they’ve already got the “Justified Killing” stamp all inked up?  But wait, there’s more:

There is no timetable for when the investigation will be completed.  The officer involved in the shooting remains on active duty.

So I guess it’s ‘Gulfport dog owners, hide your dogs’?  Maybe while you’re at it, hide your kids too.  I hate to think of a kid being in a yard with a dog where half a dozen bullets are flying.

Paying the Price for Police Advice

When FL resident Christine Bonelli was robbed, police suggested she get a dog.  Because, you know, a dog will scare away strangers, protect the home, etc.  So she took their advice and got a Foxhound mix named Harley.

Harley was sitting in a chair in his fenced-in backyard last week while his owner was indoors.  Two police officers approached the backyard, searching for someone related to a nearby call.  A neighbor called out to warn them there was a dog back there and they shouldn’t go in without the owner but they proceeded.  Harley did his job – trying to scare away the intruders and protect his home.  He did not bite anyone.  One of the deputies tried hitting the dog but, remarkable as it may seem, that didn’t help the situation.  So he shot Harley, whom he describes as “an aggressive Pitbull”.  Twice.

Harley survived but vet care costs money:

Within hours, Bonelli created a Facebook group called “Justice for Harley.” Unemployed for two years and already struggling with bills, Bonelli thinks the Sheriff’s Office should have to foot the medical costs.

The Sheriff’s Office however sees things differently:

Lee County Domestic Animal Services fined Bonelli $268 for what they called, Harley’s “Threatening/menacing” behavior.

Oh hello, that’s why she got the dog.  Because you guys told her that intruders would be scared off by the dog’s threatening behavior.  I guess you were half-right anyway.

Thanks Clarice for the link to this story.

Update on Police Killing of Rosie the Newf

You might recall the suspicious circumstances surrounding the tazing and shooting of Rosie the Newfoundland dog in WA.  Police dash-cam videos have now been released which seem to cast additional doubt on the “threat” posed by Rosie:

The videos, released by Des Moines Police show the dog being tazed by an officer, then running away.   In another video you  hear an officer fire his gun, presumably hitting the dog, then another officer saying “Nice”.

I’m video challenged here so please weigh in with your thoughts if you choose to watch either vid.

The case is still under review.

Thank you Clarice for the link.

Attention Canine: Halt in the name of the law or I’ll shoot!

Three teenagers were at home in Clayton Co, GA Sunday and the family Golden Retriever, “Boomer”, was hanging out on the porch.  When a police officer approached the home, Boomer barked and ran toward him:

The officer ordered the dog to stop and when it didn’t, the officer shot and killed the animal in its yard, [Captain Tina] Daniel said.

If Boomer had stopped, would the officer have read him his rights?

“My neighbor saw the whole thing,” [owner Lawrene] King said. “He was shocked how quickly the officer pulled his gun.”

Boomer was killed about 25 feet from his spot on the front porch, close to her front door, King said.

Hullo, ever hear of non-lethal force?

Before anyone argues that Boomer should have been on a leash:

The family had an electric fence, but there was not a sign alerting the officer it was there, Daniel said.

I’m wondering if there was a sign, would the officer have noticed it before shooting the dog?  Did he really scan the property for a sign about an electric fence before firing?  I don’t know of course but any way you look at it, this was an entirely unnecessary killing.

 

Thanks Clarice for the link.

Police in WA Shoot Scared Dog Hiding in Bushes

On November 7, a good Samaritan called police in Des Moines, WA to report that a Newfoundland was roaming the neighborhood.  Kids were chasing the dog around and the caller was worried the dog would get hit by a car.

Three officers responded and tried to use a catchpole on the dog but she was afraid and kept barking and running away.  They yelled at her when she “charged” them and she ran away again.  One of the officers took a photo of the dog with his cell phone and sent it to the off-duty ACO.  The ACO said she didn’t recognize the dog.  (What that has to do with the price of tea in China I have no clue.)  So they tazed the Newfie, twice.  By then she was really scared and ran into someone’s backyard and hid in some bushes.

At this point, the officers all agreed that the dog was a threat to public safety and to them personally so one of the officers put a bullet in her.  She fell to the ground, her eyes rolled back in her head and her breathing was labored.  Apparently still deeming the dog to be a public threat, the officer put a second bullet in her.  At that point the dog began to yelp.  Apparently the dog was still a threat to public safety so he shot her a 3rd time.  After that shot she struggled to sit up, trying to move away.  Apparently the officer felt she was still a threat and so put a 4th bullet in her which killed her.  Then he poked her with a stick to make sure she was dead.

Newfies, in case you didn’t know, are the dogs so reliably good tempered they are used to rescue drowning victims – people who flail and scream and have a tendency to choke their rescuers.  They are often called “gentle giants” due to their kind disposition and large size.  This Newf was named Rosie and her owners are devastated.  She had never gotten loose before and in fact, neighbors at the scene did not even recognize her.

A letter to the editor from a local resident paints a pretty negative picture of how lost dogs are handled in Des Moines.  The community held a vigil for Rosie yesterday.

Conduct Unbecoming of an Officer

Thanks Patti for sharing a link to an update on the story of the poodle who was killed for revenge by authorities in Hydro, OK after the owner broke into the pound to free him.

There has been a huge backlash over the incident.  Police officer Chris Chancellor has been taking calls from people angry about the unnecessary and cruel killing.  He paints the owner, Mr. Fry, as a potentially dangerous man with a history of making threats against police.

Regarding the specific circumstances of the dog’s killing, Mr. Chancellor confirms a city ordinance allows police to kill an impounded pet if not redeemed within 3 days.  The chief of police adds the gruesome details:

Hydro’s police chief told a local newspaper publisher the dog was held for three days, placed in a box and killed with carbon monoxide from the exhaust pipe of a police car.

And then the cover-up ensues:

Chancellor said Buddy Tough was euthanized in a “gas chamber” with “carbon monoxide.”

He said the town’s police chief handled the matter and possibly took the dog to a veterinarian in Weatherford.

The town clerk claims she has no record or financial receipt showing the dog was taken to an animal hospital.

The Oklahoman’s calls to the Police Chief Mike “Colonel” Sanders were not returned.

Once again, I have to speak up in defense of this poor dog.  To my mind, the owner’s strange and potentially dangerous actions in the past should have no impact on the decision to kill the man’s dog.  I don’t care if Mr. Fry was the Unabomber himself, there is zero justification for stuffing this little dog in a box and causing him to suffer a slow, agonizing death by breathing in exhaust fumes from a police car.  Tell me the person(s) who did this were not doing it out of revenge.  To my mind, that’s exactly what happened and that’s why police are lying and attempting to cover it up now.  And that is truly evil.

Will there be any justice?

The three-person town council is scheduled Tuesday to discuss the predicament.

Metro Police Officer Shoots Dog at Outdoor Festival

If you are attending a street festival in Washington D.C. with your friendly foster dog, the last thing you’d want to have happen is for your dog to get into a fight with someone else’s dog.  It’s likely that terrible dog noises, tangled leashes and localized chaos would ensue.  But if you are alert and act quickly to defuse the situation, you can likely get the dogs separated and each owner can get his dog under control once again.

This is apparently the gist of what happened yesterday at the Adams Morgan Day Festival in D.C.  Just as both owners were likely having a “Whew!” moment, Metro PD arrived on the scene.  The foster dog’s owner, via spokesman, says an officer knocked him off his dog, a Shar-Pei/Pitbull mix called Parrot, and then put a knee in the dog’s back and pulled his forelegs behind him “as one would do with an armed criminal”.  While this sounds bizarre to me, what the owner’s spokesman alleges happened next is truly alarming:

[T]he policeman grabbed Parrot, lifted him off the ground, and brought him to the top of the concrete staircase. He threw Parrot over the banister, down twelve steps, and onto the concrete floor. Then, the policeman stood at the top of the stairs, drew his weapon, and executed Parrot.

The Metro Police Chief had an early response to the event:

All I know is that there is one dog who was attacked by the pit bull and 3 people, including a K9 officer, that were bitten by the pit bull.

Obviously each side is painting a very different picture.  The owner is describing an unfortunate, but often manageable, situation where two leashed dogs get into a fight and then are subdued by the owners.  The police chief seems to be describing an out of control dog on a biting spree at a crowded street event that had to be shot to death for the safety of the public.

Regardless of which version of events is accurate, the one point seems indisputable:  the officer had Parrot completely under control when he had him pinned to the ground.  The second link above contains a link to a photograph of the officer and the subdued dog.  The officer could have reasonably done a few different things at that point including returning the dog to the owner or having AC remove the dog from the scene.  Shooting the dog to death is not a reasonable action to my mind in this sequence of events.

If the dog had bitten 3 people and was threatening the officer and charging toward him unrestrained by the owner, I could understand the officer fearing for his safety and using mace or a baton or taser on the dog (not a gun obviously, at a D.C. street fair!).  But clearly that was not the case here, as the photograph shows.  The dog was subdued and no threat to anyone.

I’ll be interested to see how this story develops and will post updates if I see any.

Thank you Susan R. for the link.

Follow Up: Miami Police Officer Trial

Sgt. Allen Cockfield, who reportedly strung his police dog Duke up by a choke chain and kicked him to death, was acquitted by a jury today.  He had faced a felony charge of killing a police dog as well as an animal cruelty misdemeanor.  The judge tossed out the felony charge – something to do with a failure to prove intent.  The jury only considered the cruelty charge and returned a not guilty verdict.

Mr. Cockfield’s lawyer described Duke’s death as a “freak training accident”.  There is definitely a freak involved here but there is no accident.