>>They were at fault for leaving him (a 5 pound dog) on the front porch?<<
He was left in the backyard. Look here...
“The Bullocks were shocked to learn that Jack had gotten out of the backyard”
As a small dog owner, I will tell you that small dogs are in danger from many things. A five pound dog left in a backyard can slip under fences, be taken out by a larger dog that hops the fence or even wildlife. We were alerted by the breeder to NEVER leave a dog this small unattended. Many a small breed owner has found their pup maimed or murdered after leaving them out unattended.
I agree that the cop was totally wrong, but the owners should have kept the pup in the house.
First of all the dog was not a pup. He was five years old.
Second, the family was attending a family members funeral which can last all day. Since when is it a crime to leave your dog outside? Now, having said that, somebody had to have called the cops which tells me the dog probably gets out often.
Still, this is a clear case of excessive force and I agree that they should have their weapons confiscated and put on desk duty for the remainder of their careers.
That said, the officers need to undergo an examination for shooting an animal on its front porch. They'll probably weasel out of any punishment by claiming the animal could have been rabid, yada yada.