Puppycide: The Documentary - Page 7

Bad LEOs, like the person who Vonissk described, are reprehensible, they need to be fired, they need to be held accountable for their unprofessional behavior.  There needs to be stricter methods of evaluating people who want to become LEOs, their intelligence and moral compass has to be held to a higher standard to prevent power hungry buffoons from being trained and hired.  I'm not familiar with the ethical training that officers get, but seems like there does need to be more done.  Part of the issue (IMO) is the wide variance in policies and training around the nation for officers.  

The law does allow LEOs to cross yards in pursuit of a suspect, that is something that I have very mixed feelings on and am very uncomfortable with.  I do not like the idea of any uninvited person crossing my yard, officer or no.  Currently the house I live in, the yard is not fenced, when the dogs are outside I am outside with them, their recall is very good...but should a person(s) run through our yard, I cannot predict what might happen in the heat of the moment.  Previously the house I own and where I lived I had a 6 ft privacy fence put up around the 1/4 acre lot and then I set up my kennel runs in the middle of that yard, far away from the fence line.  The only time my dogs got to run loose in the yard was when I was there to monitor them....not because I didn't trust my dogs, but because I didn't trust people outside my property (it was a corner lot by a street where many people walked past daily, not the best of neighborhoods.)   I did not get around to doing so, but I had intended to put up a fence topper that prevents critters (and humans) from jumping a fence...similar to these
http://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/F9U/40IH/FFKBJMA9/F9U40IHFFKBJMA9.LARGE.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/2008-08-01_No_Tresspassing_sign_at_RDU.jpg  (probably, regretfully, wouldn't be allowed to do barbwire, lol)

http://www.lpzoo.org/sites/default/files/blogs/csfd/SnakeProofFence600.jpg?mtime=1351105938

http://www.purrfectfence.com/images/products/wood-fence.jpg

in a perfect world, one shouldn't ever have to feel like they need to do these kind of measures to keep themselves, pets and property safe, but this world sucks sometimes.  

Should LEOs enter someone's property and do injury or destruction (even if it was within their "legal" rights) I do think they and/or their dept. or city needs to be liable for restitution.  
Some of the scariest things I've ever read or heard of is stories of LEOs who raided the wrong house and killed pets and people in the process,  I find that kind of situation to be more terrifying than a natural disaster.  There is nothing that could be done by the officers/dept./city/state/etc. to compensate and do justice to anyone that was a victim of that situation.  
That being said, I'm in a similar position as RockyGSD, my boyfriend is LEO K9 handler and he has told me that he also would shoot an animal that displayed aggression and came at him,  even a small bite in just the right place can and will end a career and give permanent disability.  It's not something that he would ever want to do, but his life is priority to him over an animal's and I agree with him.  Because he is an experienced K9 handler, he does know dog behavior, unfortunately many LEOs do not and they get insufficient training (or controversial training, depending on the policies made by their superiors.)   (<on a side note, recently he came home to a stray pitbull in his driveway, when he got out of his vehicle the dog approached him menacingly, he got back in his vehicle, called animal control and waited until they came and captured the dog.>)  
If a LEO is pursuing a suspect and in the process enters someone's yard and is approached by a dog protecting it's territory, it's flat-out a no-win situation for everyone, it's an officer's right to defend their life and quality of life, even though it's also the owner's and dog's right to defend their property, the officer takes precedence over the dog.   If the dog was actively aggressive and approaching the officer and the officer shoots it, then it was a bad situation in which neither the officer nor the dog or owner are at fault...if anyone is the blame it's the fleeing suspect and the legal policies that allow and direct the officers to enter private property.   (though the owner does deserve compensation, it won't provide real justice.)  However, if it's a LEO with an ego/power/bully problem who shoots a non-threatening dog or person then they absolutely need to be fired and face penalties.  Sometimes it's a real fine line.  

I think in many of these bad shootings-by-police situations, it's not as much the officers' faults as it is the faulty officer selection process, insufficient training and/or poor/controversial policies that contribute to setting the stage.  

Tell you what, rocky, why do you do society a favor, and talk your hubbin into quitting.

I concur. You will sleep better and so will alot of others. You have forgotten the oath your husband took. Protect and serve is not for everyone it requires a moral code most cant muster. In no way would I nor most reading,  rather have your husband mauled by pitbulls sent on him by bad guys vs a couple double taps from him to said pity's head. That garbage comes up often and is plain silly.  Below, please find for the record a stat to set the silliness of a dog killing an officer to rest. If destruction of my property (my friends) is not worth a scratch on your boo boo's hand or leg, stay out of my yard and let me or my dog take care of your running, alleged rapist.



 

Oh bother...not again!   

 

As a retired Firefighter/Medic (who's hubby is a former Deputy and now retired as well from the Fire Department), I can recall times when we respond to an officer who was bitten by dogs.  The reasons are varied, I have a couple friends who's careers ended from dog bites when they were trying to secure the dog rather than shoot it.  I have known officers who were bitten when the perp set dogs on them and as the cowards ran away, their dogs suffered the consequences.  I have been called to homes on fire where we have to make entry to get the occupants out and attack the source of the fire but are hampered by terrified dogs, sometimes no occupants, just a terrified dog or three.  I have made emergency medical runs on people where their dog is doing what it is supposed to and protecting the unconscious owner, we try to herd the dog in another room with pike poles and tarps.  Dogs in cars that were involved in accidents where the dog is keeping us from getting to the injured people.  Sometimes we are lucky and have animal control a couple minutes out, other times we can herd the dog and secure it in another room, I could go on but you get the point.

RockyGSD - Exactly how is one to train a dog for these types of emergencies?????

As for the OP, there are multiple sides to any story.  There are good officers and bad officers.  Wish the good got more publicity but bad sells.....

 

Me thinks RockyGSD's bark is all they've got.

RockyGSD,
I hope you won't mind my unsolicited advise. I am not sure what your experience level is with this type of thread. There will be continuous, surprise land-mines that can be your demise. If, however you are experienced to know how to spot one, then by all means, carry on in any manner you see fit. If you are unsure, please know that no one need be addressed if you don't want, for any reason you may want—not to address a comment directed at you. That is often the best choice, even for myself. 

(May your fiancé keep safe and always come home back to you. May common sense prevail and no dogs needlessly die.)

 

Beetree thank you for the common sense in the post.

Your advice is not limited to this forum. People who have zero experience with police officers that have never even (at a minimum) done a ride a long (such as gigante) usually respond in this manner. Whether it is due to a criminal family, a bad experience with an officer, or a lack of research/knowledge, they are all the same.

Arguing about whether an officer's job is dangerous is pointless. It is a fact, not an opinion.

 Who ever said that an officer had been killed from a dog bite? I don't see anyone arguing that statistic. I know that I said it is dangerous and many, many officers get bitten and quite a few lose their job over it (unable to meet physical requirements after).


It does not matter what these few people who value a dog's life more than a police officers think about the law.....the police will NOT stop chasing a criminal because people don't want to keep their dogs in their house.

The problem with people like this is that they only know how many dogs are shot....not how many dogs are tazed/kicked/avoided. The likelihood of a great owner like Jenni or Gigante having their dog shot is slimmer than them dying in a car crash. Most of the owners whose dogs get killed do not have their dogs leashed. Or the dog attacks an officer doing his job. It is not trespassing, no matter how you feel about it. If they are chasing a criminal it is 100% legal.

As for training your dog----when I say train your dog, I am talking about inside of the house. If your dog knows the word "crate" or you have a hand signal for crate, even in an emergency you can have your dog in a safe place. I have never, ever heard of a cop shooting a dog barking from its kennel. I am sure Gigante will search the web furiously for the next few hours to find something as close to that happening as possible though :)

I have one huge suggestion for Gigante and Jenni----go on a ride along with the local police force if you live in a big city. If you don't, go request to in a city with a ton of crime.

Maybe you will understand after that why dogs are not a priority when saving human lives. Maybe. Probably not. But it is worth a try.
 

Badges,
We don't need no stinking badges....

 

nevermind