Dog shot by Metro officer after confrontation.

[Johnboy60]

Hi, Does anyone on here remember the family dog that was shot by a cop when the family was stop by police here in Tennessee? The dog was waging his tail came up to the cop and cop just shot it. This story became national on all the news channels around the country. This time a cop shot a dog for what they say is a good reason. What do you think of this?

http://forums.tntalk.com/index.php?referrerid=17 Debating this on Nashville forum and it's in the News Discussion forum on the main page.



Dog shot by Metro officer after confrontation

A Metro Police officer was forced to shoot a dog in self-defense on Monday. Police were called to an East Nashville home after a pit-bull chased a couple of kids into a home. The dog got inside, and pinned a girl to a couch. An adult came to the rescue and threw the dog back outside. But, just then the responding officer arrived on the scene and became the aggressive animal's next target.

Mero Police Sgt. Richard Foley said, "In doing so, he ran around his patrol car two separate times, twice, in an attempt to keep the dog from attacking him. After the second time, the dog continued to follow him. The dog was relentless in its attempts to try to bite him, and came at him growling in an aggressive manner. And he fired one shot, striking the dog."

No people were hurt in the incident. Metro Animal Services later took the dog's remains away from the home.

Thanks, Robert.

 

[Oblivious]

Well, if I there was a pit bull that was so aggressive that he chased kids into a house, then decided to chase me, yeah, if I had a gun, I'd probably use it.

Who's health/life is more important - the dog's life or my life? I believe, in this case, the police officer's actions were justified.

 

[Faithful83]

Actually, the officer made one VERY unjustified, critical mistake that if that mistake had not been made, he may not have had to defend himself in such a manner.

Mero Police Sgt. Richard Foley said, "In doing so, he ran around his patrol car two separate times, twice, in an attempt to keep the dog from attacking him. After the second time, the dog continued to follow him.

DUH!!!! You don't run away from an aggressive dog! That's asking for their prey-drive to kick in.

 

[Faithful83]

And why do something so lethal to a poor animal who was just acting on instinct? Don't cops still carry mace or pepper spray or the like?

 

[peterc]

a few years ago a cop here in maine shot a guy in a wheelchair who was coming at him with a butterknife. ironically the cop didn't just walk up the stairs that were right next to him. He got away with it.

Just a few months ago the Portland Maine cops shot a deer who had wandered into a mud flat to the horror of many spectators. the cops justification: the deer would have drowned if we didn't kill it.

 

[Johnboy60]

Hi, Here is another dog killing here in Tennessee a few years ago.

http://forum.pethobbyist.com/animalrights/messages/12.html

http://www.zader.com/mudita/archives/000034.html
Thanks, Robert.

 

[HesMyAll]

The State of Ohio killed my son's dog. He had a pitbull puppy but didn't have the required $100,000 insurance. His puppy had never been out of his yard but someone called to report that he owned a pitbull. They took the dog away and killed it 2 days later.

 

[TherapyDogLove]

This isn't a story about people being pulled over and an innocent dog getting shot. It is about an incident in a nieghborhood at a residence in which a pitbull chased after children biting them. In this case, the officer was in the right. Pitbulls are very unpredictable dogs. Had it been an innocent dog being shot after greeting the cop with a wagging tail, yes, I would be outraged. But this was not the case!

 

[TherapyDogLove]

Yes, I agree with you on this story. Unlike the pitbull incident I think the cop was totally in the wrong in this story. That poor innocent family and their beloved freindly dog being shot! I am outraged! That is such an injustice! This breaks my heart! It is no wonder I already have had fears of being pulled over when I have my beloved dog in the car. I have been pulled over for speeding alot. My dog is protective and barks at people who come near my car while I am in it. But he is very friendly otherwise. That is the only reason for my not wanting to be pulled over while my dog is in it. I am pretty sure if my dog stayed quiet, the cop would pay no mind to my dog. I have never been asked to step out of my car. I hate injustice against animals! Animal control laws are too strict in some juridictions. I have an article that I would like to share with you. This one takes place in the county where I live.

http://www.gazette.net/200338/princegeorgescty/letters/178375-1.html

And here is a story about a homeless man losing his beloved companion. And they accuse him of exploiting the dog. How dare they! The dog is his best friend and loyal companion keeping him company when he is lonely out on the streets, not bait for getting money! I understand that the dog has to be kept in humane conditions in a good environment. Living on the streets may not be the best habitat for a dog. I don't dispute that. I just hope they have mercy on this man and maybe a charity is raised for him to have a home for him and his dog. Separating them is not the answer. I had a feeling long even before I ever found this article, that a story such as this would occur.

http://www.starbanner.com/apps/pbcs...3150321&Ref=AR&Profile=1047&SectionCat=NEWS02

 

[Mulutka]

TherapyDogLove-- unforuntatly there *are* a lot of street people who use dogs as 'bait' for money... so the dog starves while the owner uses the $ to shoot up. This is VERY common here on the West Coast. I can't stress enough NOT giving a homeless person money--> give them food! Tin-cans, dog food...

On the other hand, our city has an infamous local drunk (in his sixties at least) who's only friend is his giagantic husky dog. The dog acts more like a mother for the guy--> protecting his stuff, nudging him to wake up etc. I think the guy in your article fits this man's profile quite well (although the man in the article wasn't described as a drunk).

 

[TherapyDogLove]

TherapyDogLove-- unforuntatly there *are* a lot of street people who use dogs as 'bait' for money... so the dog starves while the owner uses the $ to shoot up. This is VERY common here on the West Coast. I can't stress enough NOT giving a homeless person money--> give them food! Tin-cans, dog food...

On the other hand, our city has an infamous local drunk (in his sixties at least) who's only friend is his giagantic husky dog. The dog acts more like a mother for the guy--> protecting his stuff, nudging him to wake up etc. I think the guy in your article fits this man's profile quite well (although the man in the article wasn't described as a drunk).

I do not always give a homeless person money just because he might use it for booze. Its hard to make the best judgement. I saw a homeless man on the Stanten Island Ferry with a cart full of bags and beer on his breath. I usualy ingnore panhandlers, unless the Holy Spirit tells me they really need money to eat. I believe the homeless man in the article is innocent of drug use and the government is mistaken and just needs his dog for love and companionship. I witnessed something heartbreaking with my own eyes. I saw a teenage runaway in downtown Orlando with her Husky/Shepherd mix. I was worried that social services was going to come along and separate the two. I prayed that either she get back home to her parents or that some kind people take her and her dog in in case she had no family. I gave the girl a dollar. The poor girl was probably hungry. I even chatted with a homeless man who had a Lab mix and a bicycle. He at least had resources to care for himself and his dog. It seems like there are alot of homeless people and dogs in Florida. At least its warm there. I like to travel there alot. In fact I'm going back to Orlando in two weeks. (My third time there) Here's another article that I found apalling.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/01/26/LV123825.DTL

I'd hate to think that the homeless man's dog or the woman's dogs are being treated this way.

 

[Mulutka]

wow, what a bleak article.

Do animal shelters in the US have 'foster parent' programs for animals? (I'm just curious).

 

[TherapyDogLove]

wow, what a bleak article.

Do animal shelters in the US have 'foster parent' programs for animals? (I'm just curious).

Hi Mulutka. Yes there are plenty of Humane Societies and SPCAs with foster programs in the US. Things are not the same in every jurisdiction or even every state within the US. A lot of metropolitan cities have several animal shelters and societies. Where I live in Maryland, the SPCA of Prince George's County rescues dogs from the County Shelter and puts them into foster homes until they match them with the right owner. I was just giving an example of a bad shelter in California. Personally, I don't think the Prince George's County Shelter in my county is much better. The article I posted in a earlier post is about a woman losing her beloved dogs to that shelter. They have even come after me for my dog years ago. I am still afraid they might get me for some stupid minor thing even though I give my dog excellent care.