Contrary to what one here might believe, I don't hate law enforcement. Why would I? Theirs/yours is a necessary job and not one I would want or am fit for.
But...I love my dogs and other people's dogs and appreciate the deep bond many have with their dogs. And, I won't shed a tear if I hear of a cop shooting someone's dog and then getting blown away for it.
Why? Dogs are sometimes just animals to their owners, but for many they are family. I've seen many a strong man and a strong woman break down and cry like a baby when their beloved dog crosses that rainbow bridge. I've done that myself.
If you value PR and the respect and assistance of the community you serve, you'll find one of those better ways to deal with dogs than than to just kill them, b/c you are killing a lot more than just a dog. Your post tells me you understand the damage that does.
In the movies, it's the bad guys that kill dogs.
It would be great if you could call animal control for every time you had a call where an animal might be involved. The reality is too many time the situation is fluid and fast-changing and there is simply no time.
Some years ago my Sgt. and I were dispatched to a domestic and upon getting out of our vehicles, and starting our approach to this unfenced house, a pit came charging around the corner from the back of the house, full speed, bone in teeth, figuratively. My Sgt. was ahead of me, and had only time to draw and fire twice while trying run backwards. First round went between the pits legs, second went into his chest as he was lunging on my Sgts. right thigh. That round was fatal but not instantly incapacitating because he ran off back where he came from and died under the back porch. The owner was not happy but understood that it was his responsibility to keep the dog secured. A ticket was written, a complaint was made, in the end both went away.
The point is, we had no time to call animal control, and in the SWAT scenario, they simply could not put an animal control officer in the line of fire. An animal control officer would not want to be there either. Unacceptable risk.
We officers cry too when our K9s are killed in the line of duty and have funerals for them. You have to be particularly attentive to K9 officers when they lose their partners. They get really depressed and some have committed suicide over the loss of their partners.
I would desperately like to see another method but it’s just not there at this time.