Posted on 09/12/2013 8:45:51 AM PDT by Altariel
A woman said her 4-year-old German shepherd, Belle, was shot Friday by an animal control officer without provocation, though officials say the dog is dangerous.
Belle is recovering at the Jackson County Animal Shelter, and will be released when her owner comes to pick her up, animal shelter director Bill Richmond said Monday.
Belle was shot in the abdomen at about 3:30 p.m. Friday, said owner Connie Hinman.
Animal control officers went to 1012 Gum St. on a call of a white German shepherd running loose in the neighborhood of Ocean Estates. Richmond said officers told Hinman to capture her dog and prevent it from running loose.
Officers tried to catch the dog, but were unsuccessful, he said.
Hinman, however, said officers made no attempt to catch Belle before shooting her.
Officers first shot a tranquilizer dart at the dog, but the dart fell out, Richmond said.
He said the dog began charging the officer and the officer shot the dog. Belle fell down, got up and climbed in the owner's vehicle.
Officers told the woman to take the dog to the vet, Richmond said, but when sheriff deputies arrived the dog was still in the car.
Hinman said deputies blocked her car in the driveway and she called a taxi. She said officers "broke into the car and took the dog."
Richmond said animal control officers took the dog to the animal shelter.
Cherie Ward, spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Department, said deputies responded to the scene and filed a report, but did not take any action.
The dog bit someone in July, was deemed vicious and was quarantined for 10 days at the animal shelter, Richmond said.
Hinman said officers must have confused Belle with her white poodle, which was quarantined for biting Hinman nine months ago. She added that Belle has never bitten anyone.
"She is not threatening," she said.
Staff writer Tammy Leytham contributed to this report.
Active Voice Title should be: Jackson County animal control officer shoots German shepherd
How odd that reporters insist on using passive voice when a government employee is involved.
Doggie ping
craziness
Well, yeah, but we’re still not a police state, because the doggy didn’t die.
Mistakes were made.
These officer need to start thinking before they shoot; or maybe they should never be police officers.
Years ago, I got my first Yorkie and she was a baby, maybe 8 inches long, just a handful of fluff, weighted maybe 2 lbs. A lady friend came to my front door and I opened the door and she reacted like her head had been torn off by a vicious 100 lb. dog.
She was literally scared almost to death. I picked up the tiny Yorkie and put her in her “bedroom” and shut the door. I have never seen such a violent reaction to a tiny puppy.
This is what happens when guns are given to IDIOTS.
I’m so sick of Cops and Doggies I could scream. Don’t ANY of these people use common sense when it comes to animals? An “Animal Control Officer” should get six months of training in how to handle animals before EVER being allowed to carry the badge. Idiocy.
GERMAN SHEPHERD PING LIST
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Not police, just dogcatchers. (That’s what we used to call them, before all this PC crap.)
The story - not well-written - does indicate there may have been reason to fear the dog. History seems a bit tainted. Very unclear, though.
I have a GSD. She is mostly black, more of an East German look.
People have one of two very different reactions. The first reaction is outright fear. She is a doll and would lick you to death, but she looks fearsome. Her mouth is always hanging open, with her tongue hanging out. To me, she is smiling. To someone not familiar with the breed—she is showing her huge teeth.
The second reaction I get, 90% from men, is that they love GSDs and had one as a kid. They all say they have wanted another one, but were afraid of what the neighbors would say.
Its pretty much split down the middle.
But, I fear getting out and running around the kids on the street. Someone would either take her away —knowing how valuable she is. Or they would shoot her.
I can see how this turned out the way it did.
Purportedly, it was another of the owner’s dogs that was written up.
A shame such a beautiful dog was shot. She deserves a better owner than the one she has. Hopefully her owner will step up to her responsibilities and properly care for and train her dogs.
German shepherds are beautiful dogs. :)
White shephards are crazy. I had one attack me while I was standing there talking to the owner.
If a person acts in an aggressive manner or is afraid, the dog will sense it. If you have had German shepherds, you KNOW this.
Therefore, it stands to reason that if an animal control officer (or ANY “official”) is confronted by a “vicious” dog, one needs to try to discern the reason for the dog’s actions.
If the dog is afraid, for whatever reason, it will go into alert/attack mode, and at that point, the choice is to shoot it, preferably with a tranquilizer. Bullets are *ahem* overkill when it comes to dogs in stressful situations.
Too many instances of this happening anymore, it just happened in my town, and with a German Shepherd too!
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