I absolutely agree with you regarding property rights. However, if you choose to own a dog that will attack someone if they enter your property, you are potentially exposing yourself to a liability case. Whether you agree with the merits of that potential action is not in debate. It is a fact that if you have a dog that will bite someone, you better have a large Umbrella Insurance policy. This is why some insurance companies do not want to write a homeowners insurance policy if you own a American Staffordshire Terrier(pit bull), a Doberman Pinscher, A German Sheppard Dog, A Rottweiler, and a few others. I agree that it is not right to condemn an entire breed because of a few, but that is exactly what insurance companies are doing. In fact most a the pit bulls that have caused problems do not come from AKC registered breeders. They are taught to be mean from a young age. The fact remains that pit bulls were originally bred to fight bulls. They are a fighting dog. FYI, my daughter owns a Doberman Pinscher. It is one of the most intelligent dogs I have ever been around. It is not aggressive at all. It also comes from one of the best breeders of Dobermans in the northeastern US.
I think you have an issue in separating the breed from the actions that take place, FRiend. Pit bulls CAN be fine dogs. Not all are. But pit bulls are NOT the only breed being shot - many labs and other breeds are included in the tally these days.
If the dog is truly aggressive in an inappropriate manner (that is, the police officer is not invading the dog’s territory without checking for other recourse), then perhaps the shootings are justifiable. But when that officer steps into the yard, the owner pleads for a moment to get the dog put away, and the dog is then shot - that is NOT a dog problem. It is a police problem.