Posted on 06/09/2009 6:42:04 AM PDT by TSgt
CINCINNATI, OH -- A Blue Ash family is outraged after returning home to find their dog had been shot and killed by a police officer.
The dog was a Chihuahua-mix named Jack that Scott and Sharon Bullock had given to their 12-year-old son for his birthday a few years ago.
When the Bullocks returned home from a family member's funeral on Friday, they found blood and three bullets on their front porch along with a note to call the Blue Ash Police Department about their dog.
The Bullocks were shocked to learn that Jack had gotten out of the backyard and two officers who tried to catch him, ended up shooting and killing him right on the family's front porch.
"He was cornered on the porch and scared," said Sharon Bullock. "The officer bent down bare-handed to pick up Jack, and Jack bit him."
"My five-year-old cried himself to sleep the night before last, wanting his dog," said Sharon Bullock.
"He barks for him" added Scott Bullock. "He'd bark and Jack would always come to him, so he's outside going Bark bark bark, hoping he's gonna come back. It's heartbreaking."
The Bullocks told their five-year-old and three-year-old sons that Jack ran away.
The Bullocks admit they were at fault for leaving their dog outside, and are sorry the officer was bitten, but they say their dog was not a vicious animal and had never bitten anyone before.
They're wondering why the officers didn't call the SPCA to catch the dog.
"They didn't make that phone call other than to come scoop the dog off the porch after they shot him," said Scott Bullock. "Two grown men that can't gather up a five-pound dog and they're trained police officers sounds ridiculous to me."
That officer later explained to the family that he was following procedure.
The Blue Ash Police Department has not returned 9News calls for comment on this incident.
The family says there were two officers involved. One was bitten. The other officer tased, then shot the dog three times.
You forgot the tasered part.
You so beat me to it. Must have been the killer puppy of Caerbannog!
It’s a killer!
This is but one of the reasons I have the back yard where the dogs run -completely- separated from the front yard where people can come in with a 6 foot stockade fence.
The dogs will alert me to anything unusual going on in the front yard.
I can take it from there and they won’t get shot for merely doing what they were born to do.
[you never know...somebody may mistake them for “Pit Ibizans” or “Portuguese Pit Podengos”]
“The Bullocks told their five-year-old and three-year-old sons that Jack ran away. “
Great. Lie to your kids and give them false hope that the rat will come back.
Yeah but honestly, unless the cop lost a hand, did it really warrant this?
It doesn’t tell the distance between the gun and the dog.
Yes. My wife & I have small terriers, too. Not as small as this little guy, but still qualify as a 'short-legged terrier'. They constantly 'test' the fence for weak-spots. Every year I need to check the bottom of the chainlink fence to see where the ground either heaved or subsided. Add chickenwire to cover any new gaps, and so forth.
And with all that you still need to worry about a bigger dog, or a rabid fox getting IN. Owls & hawks are a constant threat.
All that being said, I wonder which is a bigger threat to public safety: a 5-lb. Jack Russell Terrier on the loose, or a police officer discharging his weapon 3 times at a target located on someone's front porch?
I doubt that. I am sure there is lots of other good ones out there. I know a cop that goes to my local dog park. From what I have seen he seems like a great person. I doubt he would ever do something like this to a dog.
This spring, we had a Golden eagle in the area.
While out with my dogs, I noticed this HUGE bird lazily circling overhead.
Ignoring the 4 big Ibizans running around, the bird focused on the smaller Portuguese Podengo Medio and began that heart-stopping slow-motion downward spiral directly over her.
I screamed like a banshee, ran out waving my arms but the bird kept coming.
I almost gave my little PPM a heart attack because I ran out and snatched her up before the it got to her.
She’s 18” at the shoulder and weighs 30 pounds.
I seriously believe it intended to kill her.
I know the rest of the pack would have jumped on the eagle instantly but that wouldn’t do her much good if she’d already been skewered and gutted.
The neighbors have a tiny Parson’s JRT that they leave out unattended and we warned them about the bird.
After about a week of us all watching this thing circling our neighborhood every day, it apparently gave up and went elsewhere.
[but the stray cats that wandered our area have not been seen since]
“That officer later explained to the family that he was following procedure.”
They were just following procedure.
Step 1] Attempt to save escaped tiny dog from harm.
Step 2] If Step 1 fails, frag it.
Step 3] Call the proper authorities that you should have called before attempting Step 1.
to protect and serve
If your Ibizans had jumped into the fray, THEY might have inadvertantly killed your little guy too. "Things" happen in a dogpile. I'm sure you know what I mean. Sounds like you were very, very lucky.
Exactly!!!!!
I watched a hawk swoop away with a full grown squirrel, more than once. They have to weigh 5 pounds. Right in my own suburban backyard!
I don’t leave my Pap unattended. Even in the winter, I stand out there with her. We don’t have a fenced in yard so she is on a stringer. I doubt a hawk could pick her up, but in the attempt, she would be mangled. *shudder*
BTW, you have some REALLY cool breeds!
>>I’m also on the side of the line that believes ANY dog can and will bite given the right circumstances. <<
I am in full agreement with you and have been slammed for that opinion here on FR.
>>All that being said, I wonder which is a bigger threat to public safety: a 5-lb. Jack Russell Terrier on the loose, or a police officer discharging his weapon 3 times at a target located on someone’s front porch? <<
The later, of course!
The quality of policemen is at an all time low. Many of them are little more than thugs with badges, guns and too much power, exactly what is needed for the Naziesque future.
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