The tough part here is that smaller counties, like Teton, usually don’t have animal control officers. And many patrol officers don’t have proper training or experience to handle animals. But as I found out from Idaho falls animal control, dealing with a vicious dog is more complex than you think.
“Rick: When is it okay for an officer to use their weapon against the dog?
Irene Brown: We would only use a weapon against a dog if the dog came at us viciously.”
But other than that, its just like with a person, officers can’t use force, especially deadly force, unless their directly in danger.
Just because the dog owners don't know their legal rights does not mean they have any. Barney Fife here on the other hand should not have been trusted with other 2 bullets.
Leo Barboza filed the tort claim, a precursor to a lawsuit against a government entity, after he says a Teton County Sheriff’s deputy shot his dog three times. The dog survived and is recuperating.
The Teton County Sheriff’s Office says Deputy Joseph Gutierrez has been suspended while an investigation is being conducted.
http://www.idahostatejournal.com/articles/2007/11/24/ap-state-id/d8t4c5m80.txt