Police Officer Shoots Dog, Thinks it is a Mercy Killing

[Frobozz]

Yeah I've been reading about this incident through westlaw and Im quite shocked by a number of statements the police officer has made. Someone above commented that he "petted the dog as it died". Having grown up in a very rural part of new york, on a farm for the first part of my life, I know what it's like to have to put down a family pet. I've had to do it myself after my first dog was more or less crushed, broken pelvis, legs, ribs underneath one of our harvesters. I just take the "I petted him as he died" comment to mean, he didn't put the dog away as 'gently' as possible by shooting it through the head. The facts Damieux posted are basically the same things I've read, and it really pisses me off that people have such a low threshold of respect for life. If the dog was seriously wounded the officer probably was in his rights by putting it away. But if the dog wasn't wounded at all the cop went way over the line, not just a little bit, but way over the line. Taking the 911 tapes from the station further exacerbate the situation.

Also, all of my dogs have been dogs that lived predominately outside year round - except during the cold of winter when the temp dropped way below freezing. I never saw this, nor did anyone around me, as being cruel. To echo what Damieux said, the only thing I ever thought of as cruel was the chaining a dog to a tree and leaving it with no water at all, no shelter, etc. Those people were generally lazy, selfish, and undeserving of pet type people that had a lot of issues.

This is just a sad incident that shouldnt happen again.

[Talithia]

Yikes. In light of more info that Damieux posted instead of just the original article, I'd agree with that officer being fired and I take back everything I said about there being no evidence to support the fact that he's a sadist. Indeed, it sounds like he is. And who wants that kind of person "protecting" the rest of us?

[Enosekel]

No kidding. I was wondering about that, when he said he petted it, why he didn't shoot it in the head.

I didn't say the animal was vicious, however anyone who isn't a trained professional who handles injured animals is putting themselves at tremendous risk. Animals are animals and if one is hurt they may bite or claw out of fear, I don't care how domesticated they are. I would not recommend anyone pick up wounded animals for this reason.

As for it slipping loose, I also had a dog that got loose when I chained him outside, which is why, after it happened a couple times, I couldn't do it anymore, since we lived in the suburbs and I had a responsibility to my neighbors. But he pulled off his whole collar. Not unhooked/untied the chain from the collar. Quite a good trick for an old, presumably weak and little schnauzer.