'Don't Shoot My Dog' Laws Proposed
from the seems-like-common-sense dept
Animals are cool. People are a-holes. Any bill that prevents people from senselessly harming animals is a good thing.The natural enemy of the family dog is the local cop. Some of the stories we hear about cops shooting dogs, man, it’s like they don’t even try to deal with the animal reasonably. They shoot first and put the leash on later. I get that some people are just irrationally afraid of dogs, but cops are armed and in stressful situations. And since “dog murder” isn’t really a thing, there’s no incentive for cops to hold their fire.
We’ve reported in the past about how jury awards are going up when cops are found to recklessly kill family pets. But money cannot replace the companionship of a best friend.
Now, one state is trying to take more decisive action by requiring cops to learn how to deal with “short, hairy children”….
The Denver Post (gavel bang: ABA Journal) reports that a bill called the “Don’t Shoot My Dog” law is making its way through the Colorado State Senate.
The bill would require police officers to undergo training on how to deal with dogs. And it has bipartisan support:
“The reason I think it is important is dogs are not just property to most people, they are their short, hairy children,” [said Jennifer Edwards of The Animal Law Center]. “They are a part of the family, and it is absolutely devastating to lose an animal and to lose an animal so wrongfully when it could be solved by better training and better understanding of dog behavior.”
The bill’s sponsors, Democrat Lucia Guzman and Republican David Balmer, point out that “landscaping companies [and] delivery companies” deal with dogs all the time, without shooting them.
Some of the stories about police brutality to dogs are disgusting:
Among those expected to testify in favor of their bill is Gary Branson of Pueblo, whose 4-year-old labrador mix was shot multiple times by a Commerce City police officer after the pet escaped a relative’s home.
In Branson’s case, the 58-year-old left Chloe with a relative while visiting his brother in California last November. The dog got out through an open garage door and was running around the neighborhood.
Commerce City police said the dog was aggressive and continued to behave that way after being restrained with an animal-control noose. Chloe was shocked with a Taser and then shot multiple times.
What kind of sick person Tasers and shoots a family lab that has already been restrained?
Dogs are not people and shouldn’t be treated as such under the law. But they’re not mere property either. We need to carve out a legal space for our furry companions that at least respects our rights to keep them alive.
Senate panel OKs “Don’t Shoot My Dog” bill after emotional testimony [Denver Post]
‘Don’t Shoot My Dog’ bill moves forward, would require more police training [ABA Journal]
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And no you nor anyone else should be able to 'determine' if someone meets a certain 'standard' to have kids or animals.
I know at least here in Australia there are very serious punishments for animal cruelty, with long prison terms for it. These laws applies the same to a police officer (just like all laws) as everyone else.
It is also not the duty or responsibility to deal with aggressive animals, they simply call Animal Control and they deal with it.
Also, if a police officer discharges his weapon, there HAS to be an investigation, and the police officer HAS to be able to justify the use of any force on human or animal.
As for farmers and rural area's, if you have a dog and you have not been able to teach it not to attack livestock (even if it does get out) then you are LIABLE for the damage it does.
The farmer would be far better off calling the police and making the owner of the dog pay for the damage caused, and the court to decide if the dog is uncontrolled and should be put down.
Police are just police, they are not the courts and they most certainly not experts on issues of law. They just enforce the law, you don't have to be very bright to become a police officer. They have no more legal right to shoot a person or an animal than you or I have.
I am sure a police officer would think twice about shooting an animal if he was aware it could result in an animal cruelty charge and 5 years in prison, with a bunch of people he helped put there !!
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There many laws on the books, however that does not mean they are enforced.
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Going to put a lot of cops in jail that don't need to be there
It's sad when a dog gets shot, and I've treated a number of these animals when they come into the hospital, but one thing's for certain, I've not yet seen a case where a dog got shot simply because the cop had too casual an attitude about the animal.
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Re: Going to put a lot of cops in jail that don't need to be there
Electrocuting and shooting a dog that's already been restrained with a pole noose is pretty fucking casual, or at least reckless, unnecessary, and either a dumbshit thing to do, or a malicious thing to do.
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Re: Going to put a lot of cops in jail that don't need to be there
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Re: Going to put a lot of cops in jail that don't need to be there
Maybe because you choose not to see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF20qqIN7zs
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Re: Re: Going to put a lot of cops in jail that don't need to be there
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Re: Going to put a lot of cops in jail that don't need to be there
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Re: Going to put a lot of cops in jail that don't need to be there
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Leash your dog
I live in a rural area - and when dogs get out, and start killing livestock, all bets are off. Property owners shoot first, and ask questions later.
Now, if the dog remains on your own property, that's a different thing... be a responsible dog owner.
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Re: Leash your dog
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Re: Leash your dog
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Re: Leash your dog
I agree about being a responsible dog owner, but that was not the subject of the article.
Police should not feel empowered to take an animals life unless their life, or the life of another is at immediate risk. The problem is a lot of officers (and others) just can't be bothered to act responsibly. They just want to get back to the doughnut shop. (OK, just get this call over with)
In this case, the dog had already been restrained with an animal-control noose, it was putting no one in danger. All that was required at that point was calm and time.
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What about people?
How many people have to be beaten senseless on the side of the road, whether they deserved it or not? How many have to be shot in the middle of the night when police raid the wrong apartment?
How many more people have to suffer and die from police brutality before we start to take it seriously?
Sure we should look out for dogs, but shouldn't we put our own species first?
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Re: What about people?
Hey, before we go crazy protecting people, shouldn't we first deal with protecting the universe?
See, I just showed that we shouldn't be crazy about protecting people.
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OMG what's next?
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Police Dogs
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Re: Police Dogs
and incidentally, just because somebody is insane, it doesn't justify shooting them.
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It's a crime to shoot police dogs in most places
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Each situation that requires an interaction with a dog and a law enforcement officer is unique, and no "standard" of behavior will be able to address that. Most officers I have dealt with would prefer that the animal be removed from the situation, because it may otherwise escalate. The problem lies with the fact that the owner is not the one that voluntarily chooses to remove the dog.
The onus is on the dog owner to maintain control, and otherwise physically cordon off the dog from any potential conflict with others, when there is no reason to warrant aggressive behavior. If this simple act occurred, most of the over responses would probably not occur.
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Boulder police officers Sam Carter, Brent Curnow resign over Mapleton elk shooting
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_22424249
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No One Disputes
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Shooting family pets
But to say "landscape people don't shoot dogs" - how many landscapers do you know that carry GUNS!! Scary idea!
And to say, no excuse for shooting a restrained animal - you sure don't know much about situations like that, do you? If I am restraining an animal that seems unduly dangerous, and it appears it is strong enough to break the restraint and attack (which might or might not be the case, neither of us know), I hope I have a gun! That's going to be one dead animal if I do! And yes, I would really hate shooting it.
In my case, I was walking my dog in Dallas, and an unleashed pit bull almost killed my 6 pound dog. I slammed the pit bull to the ground, pried my dog loose, and turned the pit bull over to animal control, who apparently killed it after a period of time. Beautiful dog, but if it was dangerous to others (even dogs), I see no alternative.
If it had bitten me when I put it down, I already had my knife out, and while I would have had to go to the hospital, I would have made sure the dog was dead, first. I suspect that is how many police persons feel - though, unfortunately, not all of them.
So, again, I like sensitivity training with the police.
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Well....
But I don't fault the cops here. If someone is at my house attacking my wife, I don't want the cops dicking around with the dog (granted, the dog would/should be attacking the attackers, but anyway). I would be very, very sad, but I would not fault the cop for shooting them.
The fact is that the cop has been called for a reason. Not because someone left the milk out, or didn't close the garage door. And those cops don't know if that dog facing them is sweet and just protecting an owner, or if it has been mistreated and is truly vicious.
Passing laws like this, in my opinion, is not a good thing. When a cop responds, s/he needs to focus on the person, not the animal. I love my dogs, but my love of them does not compare to my love for my wife. If I found out that the cops (or firemen/ambulance) had let my wife die because they were worried about my dog, I would be very, very upset.
It's not an easy decision, and it isn't pleasant. But if you are calling the cops, things are probably not all that pleasant to begin with. (I will readily admit at the outset that my view of this might be skewed, being white and middle-class).
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Don't Taz me man
Don't taz me man! Don't taz me! SHIT! Don't shoot me man! Don't shoot me!
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my dog was shot by A cop yesterday
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Dogs Protect
Don't blame the dog or kill the dog, understand that they are who they are. Even my little Maltese who you can see wearing the dog clothes and pet apparel from Whirly Dog Supplies that I create and make, is my protector. If someone comes along at night when I am taking him for a walk, he is quickly in front of me standing strong to protect me.
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Colorado dog protection act
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Dogs should have more protection
Julie
http://iluvmylabrador.com/
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Pet Sitting Services
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Can agree more
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Police Training
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how to house train a dog
They are part of the family and much like children.
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Or maybe owners should take care of their dogs!
I am a dog owner -- so don't tell me I hate dogs. Train the dog, keep it where it belongs, and you don't have to worry about it being shot. Otherwise, you do not deserve to have the dog, and it is better off dead.
Oh yea...do you happen to know how many dangers a roaming dog faces? Not just people...a wandering dog is going to tangle with something. Just a matter of time and it is dead anyway. Gunshot is much more humane than being torn apart by a bigger dog or a wild animal.
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