Pitbull Mix attacks polive dog

[DTS]

a pit mix ran and attacked a police dog while he was tracking a suspect. after the offivers tried to get the pit off, they shot it. the owners cry excessive force, officers say he was protecting his k9 partner.
thoughts?
opinions?

http://www.ocala.com/article/2011042...1439?p=3&tc=pg

great and i cant edit the tittle. its police dog..

[GsdLoverr729]

Well, I think there are other ways that they could have removed the pic from the k9 officer rather than shooting it. I've seen police taser such dogs before. However, the pit mix WAS offleash (even if he had been in his yard, he should have been properly fenced in). The picture shows very strong jaws. So I must agree that the officer probably felt that the only way to save his partner was to shoot the pit. And officers are not trained to shoot limbs, because they can miss easily, so he went for the target he was most likely to make. I feel bad for the owners, however the police dog can probably be credited with saving the lives of many people as well as other animals.
The family should get some sort of apology, as well as something to show sympathy, but in my opinion the officer was not in the wrong. Just an opinion, though!

[WarrantsWifey]

I have to say, I don't blame the officer at all, everybody always say excessive force. Your dog got out, attacked another animal for no reason. I mean really. I don't blame the officer at all!

[Stevenzachsmom]

I am a bit confused. I read the story as the police dog ran by the yard - not that he entered the yard. If that is correct and the PB mix was not contained in the yard, it is the owner's fault - not the officers'.

[GsdLoverr729]

I read it as the officer was passing the yard and the dog ran up on them. There was no hint of any kind of leash, tie-out or fence.

[CassandGunnar]

Sounds like an unfortunate situation, especially for the owners of the pit mix. I read the story the same way, the K9 was running by the yard, not through it.
It's not like the deputies have forever to react and deal with the situation. Don't forget, they weren't out for a casual walk when this happened, they were on a track/apprehension. Also, I'm sure the deputy perceived a threat to his partner.
Of course, I'm going to be biased, I admit.
No LEO, ever wants to use their firearm on duty, be it on an animal or a person.

I feel bad for everyone involved, but I also agree that if this happened outside the yard, it's on the dogs owners.

[wilbanks17]

Perfectly reasonable response from the officer. I would and will do the same thing if my partner is attacked.

[selzer]

Was the officer in their yard, on their property? Did they have to go over fencing to get into the area?

Police have to be able to do their job. If a police officer chases someone over my fence and into my yard, and my dog was out there in the yard, and was shot, I would be ticked. I do not leave them in the yard, I leave them in kennels within the yard.

If my dog was loose in my front yard (no fence), and a police dog was tracking someone and they had to go through my front yard, and my dog attacked their dog, I would be ticked at myself.

We have to protect our dogs. The police have to protect their dog. I think it is sad for the pit mix owner, but maybe they should not have three loose dogs in their yard where someone can jog by with their dog and be attacked.

[selzer]

If a dog is tracking someone, they are going to go over grass or pavement or whatever the path the fugitive has traveled. They are not going to look for little flags for invisible fencing, property markers or what have you. If the person goes over a wall, the dog will do their best to follow. They will not skirt the property.

But if the dog was going by in the street in front of the property, then the deputy and sherriff should be PO'd and the dog owner should be facing some sort of charges. If you or I was running along with our GSD and the pit mix ran out and latched on to our dog's throat, wouldn't we be ticked off?

[DJEtzel]

In this situation I think it was slightly acceptable. Had they blown it off I would be irate, but they paid the vet bills, gave their condolenscenses, etc.

There were better ways the officer could have gone about it, IE- taser, pepper spray, or a bullet to the HEAD, not the back. I can underestand that while a team is hot on a chase for a suspect it was probably necessary to save his dog and continue on, though I wonder if they could at all after shooting a dog- he surely didn't just leave him there to bleed out, did he?

If they had been there for any other reason (not tracking in hot pursuit...) then I wouldn't feel it justifiable at all. A taser is just as handy as a gun.

eta; I distinctly read it as they were passing by, not in the yard, though it doesn't elaborate. The family had a fenced in yard though; the dog was either carelessly let out the front door or jumped the fence.