Cops shoot dog, kinda has this little town upset

sodbuster

Last Saturday a lady delivering mail was attacked by a dog. This postal worker used the mail to shield herself from the dog. The dog bit hard enough to puncture a catalog. The worker left the mail in the street and called her supervisor. The postmaster then called the police. Upon arrival the dog charged the officer, the officer pulled his duty weapon and shot and mortually wounded the dog. A second officer then shot the dog two more times to stop it's suffering. This in so many words was in our local paper Monday.
On Tuesday there was a letter to the editor from the person responsible for the care of the dog. The owners were out of town and this person said that because of a storm this dog climbed a 6 foot fence. She said that there were muddy tracks around the house where the dog tried to get back into the house. She painted a picture of this dog as a family friend that would hurt no one. The dogs name was Aussie. The gist of her letter to the editor was that she didn't feel that it was necessary to shoot the dog.
Today in the paper the postmaster defended the police officers actions.
Many people that I have talked to feel that the officer acted in haste to put the dog down.
I am an animal lover. We have 3 dogs, a Great Dane, Springer Spaniel and a Poodle. However, I wasn't there, the officer was. He only had a split second to make the decision. We all have the luxury of time in armchair quarterbacking his decision. I know this officer personally and I know that he isn't overjoyed at what he had to do.
My opinion is the officer did as he was trained, no human was hurt, it's sad that Aussie had to die but the officer had no alternative in his actions.


"Just my opinion."

nunn

Having shot vicious dogs before, I can tell you it is not enjoyable, but sometimes necessary. That dog sounds like it needed killing.

SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net

daddo

A dog has a weapon-TEETH- that can tear flesh to bones and kill. A dog that attachs me or anyone is a subject of survival- those with the power to stop a possible killing attack should do so. The intent of the dog cannot be known, no more than a person coming at you with a knife! To wait could mean your own death! Are you willing to take that chance with your life or your-say- kids?

Tazmutt

Having been on the recieving end of an attacking dog, I KNOW what I would do ... 100% support the officers actions.

leeblackman

At that time the dog was a direct threat to anyone and everyone around it, a threat of serious * injury or deat, therefore for the better good of society, its life had to end, though regretful, thats life, get over it, water under the bridge, move on. Now, just imagine if one of the neighbors children went to play with the doggy, then what would the paper have said. Better this way than that. Its just to bad the bullet didn't recochette and hit the person who wrote the article too...

If I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended.

The sound of a 12 gauge pump clears a house fatser than Rosie O eats a Big Mac !

leeblackman

Just thought I should also mention that the caretaker is lucky that I wasn't the mailperson, cause I would have beat the dog to death then went after the caretaker and owner with a big civil lawsuit, and would then have a 6 digit income...

If I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended.

The sound of a 12 gauge pump clears a house fatser than Rosie O eats a Big Mac !

lokdok1

I can't blame these people for stopping that dog the way they did. I for one know what it's like to have a dog latch on to you. back in the late sixties I had a job during high school , cleaning up after and feeding over 300 dogs on a "special"farm in Pa.Armed guards on the roads leading in to the place. The dogs were there to be prepped for shipment to Mnt. Sinai Hosp.and other places.I still have bad memories about that place and treated every dog I have owned ever since then with extra kindness, but dogs can tear you up bad. They can bite right down to and scratch the bone.We were even taught certain self defense tactics to use on dogs. Those people did what they had to do, it's too bad but thats the way it is.

Bartman

96harley

Small towns like human interest stories. I was called to a residence one morning before the kids started walking to school. The resident pointed out a possum sitting atop a chain link fence. I told her it would be okay if left alone and it most likely climbed up there for security when daylight pushed the night aside. She argued a kid might get bitten by it and said I should shoot the thing.

I went home, got my 22, and capped the possum. A human interest story was in the local paper that night. Guess what? There was that possum perched on the chain link fence prior to my arrival. The story said shortly after this photo Officer........shot the possum. Someone wrote a letter to the editor blasting me for punching the ticket of the possum. The person who wanted me to shoot the thing never said a word. You can't please everyone. These same people would rather save a whale than a baby. You figure it.

nelchris

it sounds like the dog needed to be stopped.