Posted on 08/13/2007 10:41:08 PM PDT by yorkie
Sgt. Tom Lovejoy, who heads the six-dog K-9 unit, found the 5-year-old Belgian Malinois when he walked out to the vehicle parked at his home, police spokesman Sgt. Rick Griner said.
(Excerpt) Read more at eastvalleytribune.com ...
Will he be charged with killing a police officer, the way that someone else killing a police dog would be?
I tried to post the AZ Republic article, but it is not allowed here.
I hope it is acceptable with administration if I post a link. It is a much more detailed article:
http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/0813cr-deaddog.html
He should have just shot the dog. It would have been more humane. I know a few K-9 cops and their dog is almost family.
Bandit was considered to be the partner of Sgt. Lovejoy. And it was reported tonight, that he was not put on leave.
Bandit was considered to be the partner of Sgt. Lovejoy. And it was reported tonight, that he was not put on leave.
This happens quite a bit. A nearby small-town PD paid $10,000 for a “dope dog”, and the dumbass handler left him in the car on a hot day and killed him. Our local PD decided they needed a “dope dog” as well (it’s a big cop fad, apparently) and bought one for the same 10 grand. A nearby Sheriff’s department offered to GIVE them their dog, who they decided was useless, but NOOO, the cops had to burn 10K of taxpayer money. The dog was worthless, and when the “handler” went to another town, he took the frigging dog with him. No explanations were forthcoming, as is usual in small-town politics, where nobody with a life wants to get involved in the local govt.
parked at his home,
He should be charged like any other citizen
I, too, am sick to see this story after having to put down my 13 year-old Lab on Friday.
I suspect Scoob and Bandit are getting acquainted at this very moment.
>>He should be charged like any other citizen<<
Not only charged, but indicted, convicted and incarcerated.
I look at the picture of that dog, and I just cry!
>>Scoob and Bandit are getting acquainted at this very moment.<<
Yes, I am sure they are. At Rainbow Bridge.
http://www.indigo.org/rainbowbridge_ver2.html
when he walked out to the vehicle parked at his home
The implication in this phrase is more than misleading. How did the vehicle, parked at his home, get there? Did the dog drive it there? Did someone else park it there?
I’m not in Arizona, I’m in California but if I did that to my dog I’d be in jail and criminal charges would be pressed. In California it would be felony animal neglect if your dog died that way. What are Arizona animal cruelty laws? Looking the subject up on line it certainly looks like this officer is guilty of violation of a number of Arizona laws: http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/dawson/cruelty/az_cruel.htm Section 12-2910 applies to police dogs since they are working animals. It looks like in Arizona it’s only a class 1 misdemeanor which as I understand it is the most serious level of misdemeanor since the behavior as described appears reckless. It looks to me like he violated section A1, A3, A4, A7 and probably A6 since the city is the owner of the working animal If he violated A7 it’s a felony and that’s similar what’s charged here in California if you leave a dog in a car in 100 degree weather and it dies. I’m not a lawyer but not charging him raises some interesting questions.
Arizona Cruelty to Animals Statutes
ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES
TITLE 13. CRIMINAL CODE
CHAPTER 29. OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER
§ 13-2910. Cruelty to animals; interference with working or service animal; classification; definitions
A. A person commits cruelty to animals if the person does any of the following:
1. Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly subjects any animal under the person’s custody or control to cruel neglect or abandonment.
2. Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly fails to provide medical attention necessary to prevent protracted suffering to any animal under the person’s custody or control.
3. Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly inflicts unnecessary physical injury to any animal.
4. Recklessly subjects any animal to cruel mistreatment.
5. Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly kills any animal under the custody or control of another person without either legal privilege or consent of the owner.
6. Recklessly interferes with, kills or harms a working or service animal without either legal privilege or consent of the owner.
7. Intentionally or knowingly subjects any animal under the person’s custody or control to cruel neglect or abandonment that results in serious physical injury to the animal.
8. Intentionally or knowingly subjects any animal to cruel mistreatment.
9. Intentionally or knowingly interferes with, kills or harms a working or service animal without either legal privilege or consent of the owner.
B. It is a defense to subsection A of this section if:
1. Any person exposes poison to be taken by a dog which has killed or wounded livestock or poison to be taken by predatory animals on premises owned, leased or controlled by the person for the purpose of protecting the person or the person’s livestock or poultry, and the treated property is kept posted by the person who authorized or performed the treatment until the poison has been removed, and the poison is removed by the person exposing the poison after the threat to the person, or the person’s livestock or poultry has ceased to exist. The posting required shall provide adequate warning to persons who enter the property by the point or points of normal entry. The warning notice which is posted shall be readable at a distance of fifty feet, shall contain a poison statement and symbol and shall state the word “danger” or “warning”.
2. Any person uses poisons in and immediately around buildings owned, leased or controlled by the person for the purpose of controlling wild and domestic rodents as otherwise allowed by the laws of the state, excluding any fur- bearing animals as defined in § 17-101.
I am completely beside myself, I do not understand how this could happen, I would put it in the same category as a cop falling asleep and letting his partner get shot.
Sorry, AZ. I don’t buy it. Didn’t he *think* of walking the dog? *Feeding* the dog? Putting the dog in it’s *bed*? For an entire weekend - this dog - who I believe was in his charge, was left to come to a boiling point (or above) in a car in his driveway.
As an earlier poster suggested - that dog was an officer. It was his *partner*. How can that be forgotten?
I never forget my dogs. Ever. I don’t go on vacations because I’d rather be home with my dogs. I take them everywhere I can.
Those laws are for the serfs, not the masters.
Not to be picky, but since I have one....
....this is a Belgian Malinois. They’re very different than a German shepherd.
This dog looks like my dog. Breaks my heart.
My sincerest condolences.
Funny, I have a German Sheperd, and this dog appears to be her twin.
Thanks for that.
You're probably right. The officer will be let off with a slap on the wrist. The chief will say he has "suffered" enough with the loss of his dog. Anyone else would be brought up on felony animal cruelty charges, but the Good Old Boys Club protects its own.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I have been through the same thing with beloved animal buddies. It’s so painful,yet the memory of that love is sustaining. It always hurts but the joy shared remains a treasure. I’m sure that Scoob and Bandit are having a glorious time. I believe in God and I’m sure that God gives these innocents special attention.
In fact,this might might not be a popular opinion,but I think that with the amazing grace bestowed on these wonderful creations,that Bandit forgives. I hope so.
I have two Malinois females , sisters ....
I think I love these dogs more than my own life .
I would just die if anything like this were to ever happen to either of them .
But there is also NO WAY I could forget where they were , as in: inside a car in the heat , or anywhere else .Plus, they’d never let me leave them like that , they’d break out a window or something . They are strong as an ox and smart as a human being (smarter than many!) and so attached to me . Like 4 legged glue!
very sad story ...I have saved the photo of this gallant dog.
I have seen dogs left in patrol cars here in LA with the engine running.
This officer should be given a letter of reprimand at a mininum.
good point...
dang Leo....I've had dogs I loved too but I'm not sure I'd go that far
I'd die for my wife or kids yes....but my red Dobie Rocky.....i woulda expected him to die for me
call me selfish
I’ve owned alot of breeds over the years , and I got to say
there is something extra special about Malinois.
Owners know of what I speak . They are....different .
I really pity this poor officer.
The linked article said that his son was in an accident.
That could have been a factor. It doesn’t seem logical to me that he was so negligent if he was the head of the K-9 unit.
The air conditioning is also running. The temperature in the car is probably 72
“They are not like pets. I know that there are people out there that are closer to their pets than their own children, but with a K-9 partner the relationship is even closer than that. “
I take offense to that. You cannot judge the closeness of the relationships between my animals amd me. You have no way of knowing the relationships we shared or the depths of our love and loyalty.
My daughter handles these types of cases.
Just last Thurs. she ticketed a man for leaving his dog in his car while the man went for a cooling therapeutic swim.
The temp. Thurs here in the Raleigh area was 100+.
Temp in the car was 118.
The man is a retired policeman.
Oh, I’m so sorry that you lost your good friend. I know that nothing can be said to a ameliorate your current sadness so I will just say that I hope you have many happier days coming soon. God bless.
I know how you feel, and you have all my sympathy. My girl died on June 18 and I still can’t talk about her. I would do serious damage to this Son of a B88ch if I could find him. But God knows what he did, and he will never get away from that. Never.
Spare me your explanations, please.
bump
Agreed!
You got it: Selfish.
yeah right.........I willing fall on my sword for my alpha male doberman just out of principle and leave a widowwoman and 5 children fatherless
with all due respect that sort of logic is nuts...
anyone who values dog life over human life has their priorities messed up.
Carolyn
Yorkie,
Thank you for the link.
Had to watch this beautiful program 3 times. Couldn’t see the screen the first two.
Thanks. It helped a great deal to remember that all dogs go to heaven...
NO, my priorities are perfect. My girl died June 18; I would have done anything to help her, but she was just too old, 13 1/2. And yes, I would have been one of those in New Orleans sitting on a roof top with her because I would not leave her and go in the helicopter. Besides: did you ever think that if you tried to rescue him, you might just do that and both of you would survive?
Very sad. I am sure this officer is paying dearly in his heart.
I know the pain of loosing a dog.
Mine is the first on the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrCvfj4g9MU
“I’m ill, just reading this. Poor Bandit. Temperatures have been over 110 in Phoenix all week - and this dog was left in a car for the weekend?”
Me too. And it was the head of the K-9 unit who did it! Totally inexcusable in my book. Should be treated no different than other such cases.
now that I understand......the hypothetical post I replied to was "die for my dog"
Thanks HOTD. I read the whole story and didn’t see any explanation of how he could forget about the dog. Very sad story.
Sweetiepiezer, I am so sorry for your loss. What a beautiful tribute to your poochie and so many other wonderful furry kids.
A complete and total idiot. There is simply no excuse.
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