Posted on 11/21/2007 12:36:37 PM PST by Lurker
A Teton County, Idaho family is outraged after they say a sheriff's deputy tried to murder their dog in their own front yard.
The Barboza family has owned their dog Bobby for five years. A few days ago they say a Teton County Idaho Sheriff's Deputy knocked on their door demanding to see the dog.
Leonel Barboza, Dog Owner: "He says, 'I'm here to put him down. I'm here to kill him.'"
The officer told Leo Barboza there had been a complaint Bobby had bitten someone.
Barboza: "I said, 'Do you have any proof or anything?' He says, 'I don't need any proof.'"
So Leo got the dog while the deputy pulled out a rifle from his car. They walked a few feet from the Barboza's home where Leo's wife and his three year old son were inside.
Leo and the officer tied the dog to a pole when the deputy fired three shots. The dog then collapsed. Leo's son heard the gunshots and opened the front door. Meanwhile...
Barboza: "A bunch of kids just got off the bus and they were all on the street. All the kids were watching the officer shooting the dog. My heart was broken seeing an officer killing my dog."
The deputy then got in his vehicle and drove away leaving the dog bleeding profusely from his head almost dead.
Barboza: "I came back inside with my wife and hid. We were hugging each other crying about our dog because we were gonna miss him. He's been with us for five years."
That night Leo's father-in-law, who witnessed the whole thing, had a nervous breakdown and had to be hospitalized. When the family returned home from the hospital a few days later, they were shocked to see their dog alive.
Barboza: "My wife called me up and she's like, 'Hey, the dog's alive!' I was like, 'What are you serious?' I was happy my dog was alive."
The Teton County Idaho Sheriff wouldn't say much about this case except that it's still under investigation. He also said there's been numerous complaints about the Barboza's dog. But when I checked court records, I could only find one complaint filed last year and that was dismissed.
Nate Eaton, Channel 3 Eyewitness News: "Did your dog ever bite anybody?"
Barboza: "Not to my knowledge. No."
Eaton: "And this was the first time you'd ever heard of any complaint?"
Barboza: "Yes, this is the first time. I still think about it. You know my kid thinks all the cops are bad because an officer came and shot his dog. Honestly when I think about it I get mad too and I don't trust that officer any more."
The Barboza's took Bobby to the vet. He's now on medication to get the wounds taken care of. The holes in his head will be sewn up after Thanksgiving.
The family has hired attorney Josh Garner. I spoke with him this evening and he says, "If the facts are as they appear, the deputies behavior is disgusting, troublesome, and appalling. The officer needs to be held responsible."
Several sources say the officer is still on duty and still working in the county.
If you have a comment on this story, email us yourturn@kidk.com or natee@kidk.com.
All dogs should be eliminated.
If you watch the one video, watch the recommended one after that on protocol for "vicious" dogs taken from state recommendations. Nothing like what was done to this poor family and their dog.
L
He would have had to shoot me.
...and I am not just saying that as a kneejerk reaction.
He would have had to shoot me.
No way in hell I would stand my dog up and watch someone shot it. No way.
He would have had to shoot me.
Fifth grader? I was thinking third, at most.
A very polite "may I see the warrant officer?" would most likely have defused the situation.
Now had the officer tried to enter my home.....
L
What kind of a wimp lets a deputy take his dog and shoot it without seeing a warrent or order from a court? What kind of wimp hides with his wife after the cop drives off?(the wimps own words, he hid). Better show me some papers or you call a supervisor.
The dog would have been taken into custody and quarantined. An investigation would have showed the dog to be a vicious threat. (if that was the case) Then the dog would have been destroyed humanely.
Thats due process. this doesn’t make sense. Not the officer’s actions or the owner’s actions. None of it makes sense.
Good thing their 3 year old didn’t bite someone.
You sure are a deep thinker. Thanks for sharing.
I hope someone who knows more about this provides more details. The article posted here isn't very informative.
Let’s see......”officer entering home”
My grandmother swears that the people across the street from her are drug dealers. “But they are always quiet and never give any trouble”
Of course they are quiet! They are drug dealers. They don’t want the cops to have any reason to have to show up at their house. They are model neighbors.
Maybe the people in this story just wanted the cop to leave.........
I’’m afraid I couldn’t control myself either. Even if it cost me my life, either then or later.There has to be a line in the sand. How in the hell do these kind of people get jobs in law enforcement anyway?
Did that deputy use to work for the BATF? Sounds like how they opened their Ruby Ridge and Waco offensives!
Have you watched the video? Take a look, and you might get some idea why they stupidly cooperated with this heinous act, and then later hid.
http://www.breitbart.tv/html/8356.html
It may very well explain why this thug with a badge thought he could do such a thing with impunity, too.
So, I’m going to go out on a limb and say the Barbosas are not here legally.
“Maybe the people in this story just wanted the cop to leave.........”
That’s absolutely freaking brilliant. Because the people in the story are afraid of an out of control pig that just shot their dog you think that they’re drug dealers?!?
“...the deputy pulled out a rifle from his car”
Why in the world would the Deputy use a RIFLE!?
Using a high velocity, high power rifle to do this is incredibly stupid as the rounds will almost assuredly go through the animal and travel to only God knows where.
If this story is true then the Deputy needs to be fired just for endangering others by his incredible stupidity.
BoT to JBT: No warrant, no dog. (Door shuts)
Sure - and then we'd be watching a video of you getting tazed...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.