“My question is why did the police officer use a gun and not his Mace, his Taser or his stick, or call animal control,”
Simple. Domestic terrorism directed at the civilian populace by the LEO.
I will never, help my heart, call on the cops unless the situation is so overwhelmingly necessary that a loved one’s life is in danger.
One can no longer know on which side of a situation they’ll come down on.
Take care of yourself.
Some time ago I decided that the only reason I would call the cops is if I found a dead body lying in the front yard. And at that point I would warn them that they had better not shoot my dogs or there would be hell to pay.