This Week in Puppycide #31

Here’s a roundup of recent headlines involving police shootings of pets and other animals.

• Unjustified | Durham County, NC (02/26/18): Cops responding to a domestic call demand residents restrain their two large “aggressive” dogs; a pit-hound mix escapes its room and “lunge[s] at the deputy’s face”, at which point an officer shoots it dead, feet away from a resident’s head as he tried to grab the dog. Owner says the dog was likely going for the deputy’s gun, thinking it was a toy, and questions why the officer didn’t taze, spray or kick the animal instead. An investigation is ongoing.
  (via Dogs Shot by Police | Facebook)

• Attempted | La Mesa, CA (03/05/18): Two officers responding to a domestic argument call get allegedly “charged” at by a large dog. One cop fires twice but misses; their partner corners the animal and gets it into their patrol car safely.
  (via Dogs Shot by Police | Facebook)

• Averted | Tolono, IL (03/05/18): Police chief responds to a call about a German shepherd under attack by neighborhood dogs in its own backyard, uses his Taser to stop them. All dogs involved survive. Bonus: Includes politicians babbling about the need for “tougher laws” to try and prevent dogs from behaving like dogs.
  (via Dogs Shot by Police | Facebook)

• Unclear | Escambia County, FL (03/06/18): Officers respond to call about a family dog that’s bitten its teenaged owner, find the family struggling to restrain the animal. Animal control is called but say a tranquilizer is over an hour away, so a deputy executes the dog with a headshot. It’s unclear whether the family consented to this and what their reaction was afterwards. Also unexplained is why the deputy didn’t use a muzzle, rope or other means to restrain the dog rather than kill it.
  (via Dogs Shot by Police | Facebook)

• Attempted | Linden, NJ (03/07/18): Officer conducting a welfare check on a homeless man is allegedly attacked by the man’s dogs and fires twice, wounding one dog. No explanation is given for why the officer approached without any preparation for the dogs, such as calling animal control, or why he didn’t use a taser or mace.
  (via Dogs Shot by Police | Facebook)

• Attempted | Chillicothe, OH (03/07/18): Police statement claims officers returning to a residence for a check-up are “charged” by a “large pit bull” that gets out when a child opens the door; one officer fires at the dog, giving it “minor injuries”. An internal investigation is underway. No alternate viewpoint from residents or witnesses is presented.
  (via Dogs Shot by Police | Facebook)

• Unjustified | Jasper, IN (03/08/18): According to a police report, cops respond to a call about an “aggressive” “pit bull-type” dog at large and track it to its home; the owner allegedly sics the dog on them, whereupon they shoot the dog dead. No further information (including possible use of nonlethal weapons) is known.
  (via Dogs Shot by Police | Facebook)

• Attempted, Possibly Justified | Charlotte County, FL (03/08/18): Deputy responds to a call about a man trapped by three aggressive pit bulls, opens fire when they allegedly attack him, injuring two and causing all three to run away. Animal control later captures the dogs for treatment.
  (via Dogs Shot by Police | Facebook)

• Possibly Justified | Erie, PA (03/08/18): Police respond to call about a dog attacking a woman, find the “pit bull” biting her head and neck, immediately shoot and kill it. Owner is in the hospital with serious injuries.
  (via Dogs Shot by Police | Facebook)

If you know of any similar stories I haven’t mentioned, you can leave them in the comments or send them in.

Not sure what those colored labels mean? See my puppycide ruling explainer.