Arrest in dog rescue outrages pet lovers

Tennesseean.com ^

[mom4kittys]

Jarrod Martin was repeatedly told to back away from a roaring fire in his apartment building, but the sight of his dog jumping up and down against a glass door in a room filled with smoke was too much, he said.

[Terriergal]

Now some local residents are outraged, and authorities are defensive about a decision by police to charge Martin.

Oh my word. They should leave the poor guy alone. There's no reason to punish the guy for what he did. He did nothing wrong except try to save his pet. Unbelievable.

[The Brush]

Call me a criminal but I would have done the same thing

[Lady Jag]

I don't know an animal lover who wouldn't have done the same thing.

[Texas Eagle]

The idiot should be charged with reckless endangerment. He (the dog owner) could've been overcome by smoke which would have meant a firefighter would've had to risk his life to go in there and get him.

A firefighter's job is risky enough.

[briant]

Firefighters had not entered the building when Martin rushed in, officials said. Lawson said the situation was too dangerous for anyone to enter the burning building at that time. ''The floors were collapsing, the fire was escalating and there was a lot of smoke coming from the building. I'm really sorry that this happened. We cannot have citizens or other people creating additional problems, which probably took a little bit of time. No, we do not wait to go in. We will go in and search and do the best we can with any life — human, animal, any life.

PC. Just say humans are more important. If the guy goes in and gets the dog, good for him. If he gets stuck and dies, he gets Darwin nomination. Not that hard.

And based on the bs response by these people it just sounds like the government teaching this guy who the boss is.

[Illbay]

Don't know what to say about this.

I love my dog dearly. But is it worth it to put firefighters' lives potentially at risk?

These rules exist for a reason. Tough call, but in the end sometimes you have to go with the letter of the law.

[briant]

Lawson said it's the Fire Department's responsibility, not that of citizens, to rescue animals and people from burning buildings.

So if your kids are dying and the fire department thinks it's too dangerous, tough!

[Lockbar]

The police, in this case, are truly idiots.

[JHrules]

I ffirefighters were not in the building then there was no endangerment. I have seen many many news footages of citizens saving people and animals from burning buildings either because firefighters had not arrived yet, or were "too busy" fighting the fire and helping others that needed care. This is bogus beyond beleif. This man would be awarded 30, 20, and even 10 years ago.

I guess that it is ok to send volunteers, residents, and criminals from prisons to fight forest fires, but it is frowned on to have a man go safely rescue his pet when firefighters tell him, "Sorry ya gotta watch the dog cook at yer window cause its just too hot for us to go do it right now...hey could ya pass the marshmellows over there."

[Illbay]

I was wondering when I would see a post from someone who gets it, Texas Eagle.

This isn't about "hatred" of pets, it's about priorities. Unfortunately, dog lovers, the life of a firefighter trumps the life of a dog, no matter how dear a pet.

You can always buy another dog. You can't buy a wife a new husband, nor a kid a new daddy.

[sinkspur]

Lawson was asked what fire officials would have done if Martin had run to save his child from a burning building. ''That would be something that would be a split-second decision depending on the circumstances,'' she said. Lawson said it's the Fire Department's responsibility, not that of citizens, to rescue animals and people from burning buildings.

First, I doubt if "Kim" has ever entered a burning building, a burning storage shed, or a burning car to rescue anything.

Second, Martin waited for the fire department to rescue his dog. When it became apparent that they weren't going to, he took matters into his own hands.

The bottom line is this: Martin showed up the macho Nashville Fire Department, who was sitting on its hands while his dog's life was in danger.

It ain't nice to show up the Studlies.

[Fraulein]

I would have done the exact same thing to save my tabby cat of 5 years.

And I would much rather pay a fine than for him to be dead.

[Illbay]

"The government teaching this guy?"

Or is it those "odious government hangers-on," the firefighters?

Pretty glib in your puny estimate of a firefighter's life, aren't you?

[Illbay]

Human Child <> Dog

Sorry, but that's it.

[hoosierham]

He DARED to take action himself instead of waiting quietly while the professionals dealt with the matter in accordance with their training and departmentally approved procedures.

We cannot have people thinking for themselves , or WORSE, acting on their own iniative without department approval.

Why if this sort of thing were allowed, next ordinary people might resist criminals with force. And if they are successful in dealing with robbers and rapists, the people might become emboldened to question excessive taxation and governmental intrusion ; so you see, we CANNOT have ordinary civilians trying to save their own lives or property.

[briant]

Try read both of my posts first. If he wants his Darwin award let him have it. I was more reffering to that Lawsen clown.

[tuna_battle_slight_return]

"Someone, please -- two Excedrin".

[Illbay]

Sink, I'm surprised and disappointed. I never would have expected such a response from you.

[briant]

BS. It was HIS choice. If you caan't handle it, too bad.

[sinkspur]

Unfortunately, dog lovers, the life of a firefighter trumps the life of a dog, no matter how dear a pet.

No firefighter lost his life, the dog was saved, and everybody's happy, except a couple of bureaucrats.

And don't give me "might haves." Deal with what actually happened here.

What's the problem with what Martin did?

[Fraulein]

Good post.

[Fred Mertz]

I'm surprised that the cops didn't shoot the dog after it was rescued.

[sinkspur]

Sink, I'm surprised and disappointed. I never would have expected such a response from you.

Well, adjust your expectations.

If my house is ever on fire, the Euless, Tx., FD better be packing, because they'll have to shoot me to keep me from rescuing my dogs.

[Movemout]

I have two dogs and two cats. Their lives are of equal value to mine. They would save me if they could figure out how to do it. I would save them if I could. I think that this notion of putting a firefighter at risk is overblown.

[Illbay]

You don't have the choice to run into a burning building where there are firefighters about.

Sorry, it's the law. You don't like it, change it.

Or you can join the Lefties, and determine whatever law you don't like, doesn't apply.

[sinkspur]

I'm surprised that the cops didn't shoot the dog after it was rescued.

Since this happened in Tennessee, so am I.

[Illbay]

Twenty-twenty hindsight, sink.

The law's there for a reason.

[Sir Gawain]

At least they didn't shoot the dog after he rescued it. Hey, it is Tennessee after all.

[vigilante2]

ya

[Illbay]

Hey, remember, we're in Texas.

They'll rescue the dogs even BEFORE the hunting rifles.

[Mulder]

The idiot should be charged with reckless endangerment.

WHO did he endanger?

He (the dog owner) could've been overcome by smoke which would have meant a firefighter would've had to risk his life to go in there and get him.

He had every Right to risk his own life.

A firefighter's job is risky enough.

The *riskiest* thing most firefighters do on a daily basis is get in their cars and drive, (which is also the riskiest thing most folks do in their lives). Yes, it's a dangerous job but they spend $$$$ on top-notch equipment, and the smart ones don't take unnessasary risks.

[sinkspur]

Sorry, it's the law. You don't like it, change it.

If my dog's about to be barbecued, f*** the law.

[Mulder]

And based on the bs response by these people it just sounds like the government teaching this guy who the boss is

Exactly. The worst thing in the mind of most gov't workers is when someone demonstrates that they really aren't needed

[briant]

Or you can live in a police state where they dictate what your life is worth. No thanks. Save you condecending crap for someone else. Don't try that, "if you disagree with me you're a leftist" crap either. It's BS and lazy.

[GovernmentShrinker]

He didn't go into the building, he just broke the glass door to let the dog out, so there was no possibility of the firefighters having to go in an rescue him. There was a link to the video on an earlier thread. If the firefighters didn't have enough manpower to go over and break the door themselves, they should be glad the guy took care of it himself.

And think about this: Lawson was asked what fire officials would have done if Martin had run to save his child from a burning building. ''That would be something that would be a split-second decision depending on the circumstances,'' she said. Lawson said it's the Fire Department's responsibility, not that of citizens, to rescue animals and people from burning buildings. ''We don't draw lines. We are here for lives, period. If any situation proves safe, we would go in for a child, a dog, a pet, when the situation was safe enough.

The position of this fire department is that if you see your CHILD stuck behind a glass door or window in a burning building, the (government) firefighters have the right to prevent you from going to break the door/window to save your child, if THEY think it's not "safe enough".

[Fraulein]

The guy just lost everything he owned, except for his dog, and now the government wants him to give them money (for failing to save his dog).

They may also put this guy in jail. I'm sure we will all be sleeping safer at night. /sarcasm

[briant]

The worst thing in the mind of most gov't workers is when someone demonstrates that they really aren't needed

LOL, exactly.

[Mulder]

But is it worth it to put firefighters' lives potentially at risk?

How did he put the firefighters' lives at risk? He didn't order them at gunpoint (only criminals and JBTs do that) to go into a burning house.

Everything worked out okay. No harm, no foul, except in a fascist police state.

[briant]

If my dog's about to be barbecued, f*** the law.

Don't worry. Jury nullification. If it's good enough for OJ then...

[CindyDawg]

Well, I'm just glad the police didn't shoot the dog when he came over the balcony. The guy should challenge this and ask for a jury trial.

[Fraulein]

The worst thing in the mind of most gov't workers is when someone demonstrates that they really aren't needed

Quote of the day!

[Mulder]

The bottom line is this: Martin showed up the macho Nashville Fire Department, who was sitting on its hands while his dog's life was in danger.

We've butted heads in the past, but you're 100% correct on this one.

How does it feel to be on the radical fringe BTW? ;-)

[briant]

The law's there for a reason.

And so is jury nullification.

[Movemout]

A dog is like your kid. You have to take care of them. I guess I am really surprised at some of these responses.

[NormsRevenge]

He said he had waited 30 minutes for firefighters to rescue his dog

I have a number of house pets I would die to rescue. Get the hell out of my way is all I can say.

[Mulder]

We cannot have people thinking for themselves , or WORSE, acting on their own iniative without department approval.

A have a friend who helped put out a fire after a helicopter crash many years ago. Once the FD arrived, the fire was more or less under control, but they weren't too happy about one of the serfs doing their job.

So the head honcho asked my friend to fill out a bunch of paperwork. He told the fire chief that if he had to fill out the paperwork, he wouldn't put out a fire in the future under similar circumstances. The chief thought about it, and decided this made sense so he dropped the issue, and let well enough alone.

At least back then, they had a little common sense.

[DB]

Did you even see that actual video of this "daring" rescue?

The guy never entered the building. He simply broke the glass door from the outside so the dog could get out. All was done in full view of the firefighters.

You're going just a little over the top on this one.

[Mulder]

I'm surprised that the cops didn't shoot the dog after it was rescued.

LOL! What is it with TN cops and dogs?

Also, what if this was a K-9 dog that needed rescuing. Would the FD had acted differently, since a K-9 is a police officer in many areas?

Would the JBTs have arrested one of their own for trying to rescue a dog? Quite the contrary, they'd give him a 'cop of the year' award or some such citation.