Posted on 01/31/2011 8:21:41 AM PST by Immerito
A Valley neighborhood is outraged after two dogs are shot and killed by local police.
The Shelburn Town Marshal says he was forced to shoot two dogs.
Officer Doug Inman says he was called to a field off Mill Street, where neighbors say a pack of dogs were fighting.
Inman tried to break-up the fight and even fired shots into the ground to scare the dogs.
When that didn't work he shot two mastiff puppies.
The family says he had no right to kill the dogs.
"I'm just glad it wasn't a child out being attacked by these two dogs," Inman said. "They are saying they were pups but you can go over and look at the dogs and see how large they are. They are probably between 75 and 100 pounds each and if that had been a child we would have a dead child out here."
"It makes me very sad, kids are supposed to be able to trust the police department and after seeing something like that, I don't know how they can," said dog owner Angie Waldon.
Neighbors say the two dogs had a history of being aggressive.
"[T]hese where purchased at 5 weeks old march 2010. The news left out a lrage part of the story. We where told they only had 50 sec. to report the story. The neighbors are the ones that called for the news help. They where all angry this happened. This was also right behind an old folks home that many where upset. They would not let the others speak. We had our pups kept up all the time. There are strays all over this town and nothing is done. This small dog came over often and teased the pups. It would get just close enough they could not reach him. The dog drug up trash and tore it up in our yard. Today they broke a leather collar in half and a log chain that was still around the females neck when he shot her."
***
"We heard the gun shots in the back yard and ran out. He had shot them both. He left one laying alive, let my children watch him gasping for air and bleediing from the head. He let this go on for twenty min. and then came back to finish the job in front of the kids. Is that animal cruelty??"
*** "Why was these pups shot at the edge of their yard and the stray that runs lose was not? Does this make sence? These pups grew up with a five and a ten year old. The statement about the kids is bull. It was to make himself look good when he foud out they where not pits..."
I have two large aggressive breed dogs. They can be menacing to strangers.
If there is one thing these FR stories have done, it is to make me aware it is not a good thing to call police to my home. All I have to do is get the wrong cop.
Sadly there’s a lesson here, and that is when you call the police you are giving up ALL control of the outcome. They are going to arrive and do what they think is necessary, both to solve problem and to protect themselves. They bring with them a myriad of attitudes, notions, fears, etc. Know when you call them that you have surrendered all input into how the situation turns out. Perhaps the situation is dire enough to warrant this, but YOU and YOU alone make that decision.
Think before you dial 9-1-1. At that point you become just another factor in the situation. Know up front that the fact you made the call means you have given up on solving the problem yourself and you have little, if any, input on how it ends up being handled. That’s not always bad, but it’s the way things are.
Oh goodie.
Another “All cops are bad - they murder innocent doggies” thread.
“I have two large aggressive breed dogs. They can be menacing to strangers.”
And, no doubt, any stray dog that would enter your property to mark it as his own.
Dogs are like conservatives-—they don’t take kindly to squatters on their land. :-)
Perhaps you would be so kind as to explain why it was the mastiffs, who were defending their territory, and not the antagonizing stray that was shot?
Or you would be so kind as to explain why animal control was not called to separate the dogs?
He explained that he had some very strong feelings about the issue, and that he is obligated by department policy to not give comment on such matters. He then followed up with the comment that in any business privaate or public, 20% of the employees have no business being employed there. His way of commenting without commenting.
He sounds like one of the Good Cops.
We need more like him.
But certainly the police department isn’t the only place where some people employed therein don’t belong (by reasons of personality, aptitude, etc.)
Regards,
I truly believe there are cops who have worked for years without having the opportunity to fire their weapons so when they finally get a chance to shoot a dog they can’t control themselves. They just have to know what it feels like to kill something.
But if a dog came into my yard and threatened me or my dogs and I shot it I’d be arrested. Or shot by a cop who’s never had the opportunity to kill anything before.
No kidding.
It’s a good thing this gun happy cop killed the fighting dogs. They might have hurt themselves.
My version: They are going to arrive and do what they think is necessary to protect themselves.
He was a very nice guy, yet remained quite professional. He was buying food for his dalmation. And a squeeky toy.
We have had the problem around here, with dog packs running sheep and other farm animals, moose and deer. They have also attacked children and hikers, so this is far from a remote possibility. The larger breeds also X-breed with coyotes and wolves. The carnage left behind can be awful.
In Alaska and other less sentimental places, a loose dog is a dead dog, particularly in winter. Sorry. I love my dogs, too. But a loose 100lb dog running in a pack with others is a dangerous wild animal.
Perhaps you would be so kind as to explain why it was the mastiffs, who were defending their territory, and not the antagonizing stray that was shot?
Or you would be so kind as to explain why animal control was not called to separate the dogs?
There is no evidence that the two mastiffs had joined a pack of strays; these mastiffs were defending their property FROM a stray that was establishing that their yard was *his* territory.
Or you would be so kind as to explain why animal control was not called to separate the dogs?
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Oh yes. By all means - call animal control. They might show up - by next Thursday.
Why did the cops shoot the mastiffs and not the stray that antagonized them?
Why did the crime of defending their owner’s property merit their execution?
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