"Honoring animals as heroes diminishes human beings"

[Jessiewessie99]

Originally Posted by imroc

Some people have very little to do with their lives and have twisted thinking without any respect for what God has graced us with. I'd rather post something much more uplifting and honorable:
The Military Working Dog Memorial

The story about Lex made me cry!!! Happy tears though!

[Stevenzachsmom]

People are so warped. If a dog saved my life, or the life of someone close to me - he would be my hero. It wouldn't be important that the dog understand. It would only be important that I understood. K-9 officers know what these dogs do for them. As others have said, memorials are for the living. It is our opportunity to remember - even if we choose to remember a dog. If we only honored dogs and not human officers, that would be a problem. That, however, is not the case.

A slight detour from the thread, but how does this grab you? On Monday, there was a funeral service for a Baltimore police officer. The public was given plenty of notice about the funeral - times, routes, etc. Well....Some guy wrote to the local paper complaining about the funeral procession. He said he was in support of officers, but that it was ridiculous to tie up traffic like that,

It must be very comforting to that officers family to know that the biggest concern for their loved one was that his funeral inconvenienced morning commuters.

[MrsMiaW]

The author of the first posted article is a CabbageHead. I'd like to use stronger words, but I don't want to get kicked off the forum.

[mssandslinger]

Originally Posted by MrsMiaW

The author of the first posted article is a CabbageHead. I'd like to use stronger words, but I don't want to get kicked off the forum.

agreed!

[selzer]

Originally Posted by Rerun

Unfortunately most of society (who hears of a police dog getting killed and subsequently the person who killed the dog getting killed) thinks that the officers killed the person because the person killed the dog.

Not the case.

Once the weapon comes out, all bets are off. You can bet your last dollar that dog or not, when that gun starts firing in any direction (and keep in mind the dog is being sent from the same direction as the officers - the gun is pointed in THEIR DIRECTION) the officers WILL fire back.

They will not sit there and think to themselves, oh he's just firing at the dog - it's ok. Once the gun comes out - whether they knew the man walking the dog had been shot or not at that point in time - they have reason to fear their lives, and the lives of anyone around them including other officers as well as innocent people. At that point, they have the right to use lethal force, and would have been negligent in not doing so.

I actually think they sent the dog to try and SAVE the man's life.

I think that they tried everything possible without putting MORE humans in even more danger to disarm this guy.

I do not think they killed him because he killed the dog.

[ASDogGeek]

I am sorry I disagree with the auther I really do. I have a service dog and while she isn't a police dog I CAN relate. Police dogs are hero and the handlers put their lives in these dogs paws so to speak everyday. This dog is their partner. They depend on these dogs loosing one of these dogs is a tragedy!These dogs do have free will all dogs do. Also even if you get the dog and half expect it to take a bullet for you one day, it does NOTHING to ease the pain of the loss. YES this teenage boy's death IS also a tragedy and he needs his respects paid as well but this do deserves an honorable funeral. these dogs do things most dogs would run from. I know dogs who it doesn't matter what you do there is nothing that will convince them to run at a man firing a gun. HA the writer CLEAR hasn't owned a dog or really felt that bind. I saw one REALLY good comment by someone replying to the article. people like this auther remind me everyday WHY I would rather spend the day with a pack of dogs and (and my boyfriend) then go to a party.

[kiwilrdg]

The article that we are discussing was written by a Catholic priest and from that standpoint I can understand what he means. A funeral for a dog is not a Catholic sacrement. If he was the one asked to perform the sacrement he would have reason to complain.

The funeral rites in question are in honor of the actions of an officer. The funeral was for a dog at a Baptist church. The police traditions are appropriate and they should be combined with whatever form of funeral ceremony is determined to be appropriate between the family (handler), the police department, and the presiding clergy.

If my pipe band was asked to play for that funeral, I would have taken a day off work to attend.

[DFrost]

Having attended more funerals of both officer and dog than I really care to remember, it's not about the dead. A police funeral is for honoring the service. Being retired military, it's the same. A military funeral is no so much for the dead as it is an honor paid for the service provided. Do dogs provide a service, you bet your sweet patootie. Are they heros; I don't know if they are heros but in my mind they certainly deserve the honor paid. Dieing for what one believes, laying your life down for another is the definition of; The ultimate sacrifice. In my opinion, an unknown author coined the feeling I have for those that serve; All give some; some give all.

DFrost