WARNING, graphic/police shoot restrained dog.

[Samba]

Originally Posted by gagsd

Perhaps it is a rational fear?

Well, I guess that is all dependent on definition. What makes a fear rational?

Our Animal Control Officers are not armed. I wonder if this is usual?

[APBTLove]

Just my experience, but I've met many cops who were scared of my old bulldog (who stood about 20"), one who was scared of Sparkles (a pom mix with a very mellow temperament), and one who was so scared of J at seven weeks old that when we gave hi ma few treats to give J, to make the cop feel better, as J sniffed one he threw it and quickly stood up... This was J at the time:


I also think it's important for cops to be checked for irrational fear of animals because it is very likely they will have to work around adult K9's in their work... And sweating out pure fear around one could cause any dog to react.

I think irrational, just my opinion - doesn't mean it's fact, is the fear of something that is not going to harm you. You may feel it will, but in reality it can't. I have irrational fear of crickets.. I mean ridiculous fear. It stems from when I was little and my older siblings would shove them in my clothes or hold me down and put them on my face, I'm just terrified of them, but I know logistically I am in no real danger from them.

I am scared of swimming in the ocean now because of Jelly Fish (yes, laugh lol) because I got stung very badly a few years ago. It was just like someone branded my chest/neck/ear and held it there for over and hour, until I put some prescription strength ointment on it, ice, and took pills that made me so drowsy I went to sleep to escape the pain. I had bloody welts from it for days, and it did truly feel like I was burning. That I feel is rational, because I'm afraid it's going to happen again.

Being horrified of a very young puppy, especially when you are going to be put in situations with animals inevitably, IS irrational IMO. That officer who was so scared of J, who was even ignoring him and just walking around at the time, I feel fairly sure would panic and shoot a dog who was running at him or showing what he thinks was aggression.

Fear of dogs itself isn't irrational, esp. if you've been attacked before. Dogs are indeed dangerous... Anyone who's been bitten or attacked knows that.

But fearing a tiny pup, come on... How can you be expected to work in public with a fear that bad?

[DFrost]

Police nationwide must not have had any encounters with dogs in the past few days this thread was reactivated. Sure hasn't been any news. Hmm, maybe it doesn't happen all the time with the majority of cops. To the poster that says you have officers that aren't certified, well I guess your state is different that most I'm aware of. That would be a major law suit waiting to happen. But that's your state, you could make your legislators aware of that. In fact, I happen to be pretty good friends with an ex POST Commissioner from Arkansas, I think I'll tease him about that.

DFrost

[APBTLove]

D, the thread was bumped because there were new reports on the topic at hand... Though I'm not sure what you're trying to say..

[DFrost]

I'm not really trying to say anything. I'm merely pointing the hyperbole of the some of the posts. Words like all, most, many etc are often way off the mark. I find the ability of some, to be so judgmental interesting as all. If you notice, I didn't try to defend what the officer did, or how he did it.

DFrost

[Dainerra]

it's WV, not AR that allows officers to work for 1 year without being certified. I'm not sure how long you have in AR to get certified. The idea is good in theory, small departments have time to save up the $$ as well as give new applicants time to prove that they will stick around. In practice, however, they use it to avoid having to spend any money for training.