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GSD Almost Shot Today by Police

6K views 48 replies 29 participants last post by  selzer 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Was doing the morning chores (breakfast, dishes & trash) and heard persistent unfamiliar barking. Went outside with the trash and saw two neighbor men who own big dogs too walking away from my home down the street with two dogs, one a rat-dog mutt and another a GSD, near them very agitated and barking.

At same time, school children and parents in their cars were gathering on my street to let the kids out as I live only a half block from an elementary school. These neighbors were interposing themselves between the dogs and the kids walking to school. The GSD, in particular, was being VERY AGGRESSIVE towards one of the these fellows, a large dumb-as-a-rock plow-boy who is an imposing and menacing sort of guy who was eye-locked on the GSD.

I recognized the dogs as belonging to a neighbor on the opposite side of the block and went back inside to get my motorcycle gloves (elbow length and padded), a leash, a tuna tailer (a fishing tool which is something like what the dog catchers use to snare dogs), a can of pepper spray and half a burger paddy that I'd prepared for my own GSD's breakfast. I also had the wife call the owner who said she'd be there right away.

As I walked down the street to the fricas it became pretty clear that the plow-boy was exactly the wrong guy in exactly the wrong frame of mind to de-escalate the situation. He was responding to lunges from the dog with lunges of his own even though most of the kids were now gone from the street and there wasn't anyone to protect. The other neighbor was on the phone to the Sheriff's Department.

I calmly walked near the GSD and he turned on me and lunged. I rewarded him with a chunk of hamburger paddy, stood my ground and spoke to him in a gentle, non-threatening way. At first, he ignored the treat but then began taking them, all the while keeping his eye on the brutish plow-boy. I asked the brute to leave and he retreated to the opposite side of the street and stood in the yard about half-way up.

I kept treating the GSD with paddy bits and his barking and, in particular, his snarling and showing of teeth diminished to the point that he gave me only a single warning bark before taking the treat from near me and then from my gloved hand. I then went to one knee still offering the treat with my gloved hand.

The GSD was initially surprised at my change in position and barked aggressively. I didn't flinch, but rather, continued to offer treats and speak softly and reassuringly.

I think a dog feeding and a dog willing to aggressively bite are two incompatible things. Hence, my strategy to de-escalate. And, we appeared to be making progress.

Owner shows up and with a brief command collected both dogs into her car. She thanked us, took from me the remainder of the burger paddy and left.

Three different cops showed up in different cars and got out when they saw that I had dog wrangling equipments with me. All were agitated and eager to end the confrontation that had already ended.

They asked if I owned the dog that was menacing the school children. I ran the story down to them and they said that had they gotten there when the school children were being threatened they'd have shot the dog, and maybe even both dogs, straight away. I was dumbfounded.

I told them the dogs were being agitated by the plow-boy who, despite his own ownership of a GSD didn't seem to know that his out-of-control protective emotions were influencing how the dog reacted to the situation, that his aggression engendered fear in the dog and that the dog was fear reactive, that he was the one who either instigated the dog or, at a minimum, was escalating rather than de-escalating the situation.

They said they'd still have had to shoot the dog. Then they asked for the address of the owner and vowed to ticket her.

Is shooting a dog the only reaction the authorities have anymore to a fearful dog? Sure seems like it. Shooting two dogs only one of which was large enough and aggressive enough to harm anyone. Shooting any dog without first trying to de-escalate the situation.

Sure seemed trigger happy to me. The dogs were reacting to the threats of a dumbie, not preying on the kids.

LF
 
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#41 ·
Not sure why it matters if the potential for fatality is high or low. I'm with Longfisher on this one. He isn't trying to compare dogs to sharks (to take it that way is to misdirect and de-validate the entire point of his post). He's simply stating that STATISTICS can be misleading, and he gave examples. Also, when they are only looking at fatalities, of course they are going to be smaller numbers than attacks (even if the attack leaves a permanent disfigurement).

My hubby has several scars on his face and the iris of one of his eyes is lacking pigment in one area from a violent attack from two GSDs when he was 4 years old. He was standing on the fence of their property, they both stalked and attacked him, a four year old child...while his dad was talking to their owner just down the driveway.

When it comes to a loose dog attack, I really don't care if the dog is shot dead or sprayed with pepper spray and lives to see another day lose, I don't care if death by dog attack is rare, I don't want stitches either....when it comes to my kid walking to school and encountering lose, aggressive dogs, I'd rather have the dog shot dead than even the POTENTIAL that my kid could be hurt. Sure most of the time I'd say, pepper spray would be great....however, I think this situation and the reasoning behind thoughts of deadly force, is pretty black and white.

It also makes me think of people who ask why cops don't "aim for a leg or arm so the person has a better chance of living??" It's so silly, but I understand people who don't understand firearms, targets, and how fast someone can get to you even from 20 feet away...why they ask those kinds of questions.

Why should someone have to take the chance because it's "only a dog bite and probably will be non-fatal?" That person should have to take a bite because it's so sad for the dog to die?

Bottom line, owners need to take more responsibility for their dogs. Yeah, accidents happen, and we all hope common sense will be used, and a non-aggressive dog will be shooed away or grabbed by a good samaritan and taken to the pound. However, the expectation that someone should stop and use a non-lethal force, because it will "probably" work, is just silly to me, especially if the dog is being aggressive.

I tend to be of the thought that pepper spray will be more than enough. LF, I think it's great what you did. I always have an extra slip lead somewhere on me, and have grabbed a few wandering dogs and taken them to the pound if I didn't know their owner.

However, I think it's great what you did, for the kids...honestly I couldn't care less about the dogs or the plow boy lol. The fact that the cross walk person had to shoo them away and multiple people thought they were being aggressive (including yourself), I don't care what happens to them, I don't care if the aggression was because of fear, rabies, temperament, whatever....when it comes to kids and aggressive dogs, whatever means necessary I say. I wouldn't have faulted cops at all for shooting them....glad the owner was ticketed. I get what you're saying about your concern of "shoot first," but in this situation? Aggressive dogs around little kids trying to get to school? You really are surprised they were in the "eliminate the threat" mind set?

And Bleach bottle? Seriously? Haven't heard of that idea before lol.
 
#43 ·
My opinion is harsh and extremely pessimistic toward police and general people, so if your sensitive like most people here are, skip it and don't read.

First off, Thank you for taking the initiative to De-escalate the situation, the world needs FAR more people of this quality.

The "plow boy" likely slipped away because no one wants to have anything to do with a legal mess these days, or up to no good, few have any spine anymore. If someone is being attacked, look the other way, if you stumble over a body, keep walking. There are far fewer potential problems if you shut up and press on.

On the subject of the police being trigger happy, whats new?

I've had my property stolen twice, $250 value and out of all the people at my building, no one saw a thing, the guard even had the door shut! The police pretended to take my report seriously but it was nothing more than the laughing joke of the station and they probably went right back to ticket farming.

Few years back, some trespassing, plain cloths, police left me with a scar under my left eye. The nature of the job is the same as mine(infantry), it naturally attracts people with blood lust, loose screws, and anyone who is simply out to shoot something. Very few join for a good cause and usually all the good people leave. The bottom line is the police are usually the enemy now, even though my county has good people on the force, I don't trust any of them simply from experience.

The average human life is worth about as much as reused toilet paper to me. Why you ask? Two years ago, my peers repeatedly threatened to soak my pet cats in fuel and burn them alive. I killed one cat myself with a breaching hammer and the other I hope stayed away from the area. I still deal with the guilt of betraying something that trusted me and how she died. I went over to that punk kid with the same tool and the only reason why I didn't strike and completely cripple him was that I did not want the brig time. Long story short it was a bad day for everyone and to this day I'm still taunted and harassed with comments from those people.
I have plenty more stories, like one of my old CO's drop kicking a puppy over the base walls, literally he kicked it over the wall. The same puppy was sneaked over to our base so it wouldn't be shot and of course was abused by an old squad leader. I had no knowledge at the time so I assumed he knew how to train a dog. Hes the type that will abuse but if you abuse him, he can't handle it.

So by seeing more and more people demand blood and death against an animal because it has even the mere potential to hurt someone, spreads disease, or falls under "vermin" as if that is any justification, only reenforces its lack of value.

There are exceptions though and we stick together in our little groups and support each other when we can. Usually outcasts because we still have some degree of moral fortitude and chivalry. As for the kids, the last time I met a respectful kid was about four years ago. Kids also threw my kitten in the river, all I have to say about them is: dog food.
 
#45 ·
OP Thanks for helping save the dogs. I lived in a small village and was alwys thankful when a certain police officer was theone who came when I needed help w/ stray dogs . He was great w/ animals in general and Daisy loved him. He was the go to guy. He retired.I moved but I always try to keep my dogs either on leash ,in the yard or inside the house. If someone is afraid of dogs they all ready approaching any situation involving a dog w/ anxiety.
 
#46 · (Edited)
Sad News

There's the absolutely beautiful-in-every-way 10 year-old little girl who lives in the same cul-de-sac where the German shepherd who is the topic of this thread lives. They live across the street from one another.

She came over yesterday to see Zeus as she's enamored with him (less so now as he growled at her a bit at the door, normal for Zeus for anyone). And, after Zeus settled down to his gentlemanly ways she related a story about that GSD...

...he and the other dog with the Clorox bottle around his neck get out all the time, dozens of times she's said. She says the dog menaces others when he's out too, including her.

She says she's afraid to go out of her house with that dog around and mostly doesn't do so unless either her Dad (who works long hours) is around or if she sees me and Zeus on our walks. Really sad.

Then she told me that her Dad went outside to run the dog off their property recently as the dog was menacing the kids and the dog chased and bit him. The father denies the bite. But the little girl says there are puncture wounds that her Dad is hiding.

So, it looks like we have a dangerous marauding dog in the neighborhood and I feel like a fool for having defended it.

I walk my yearling Zeus in the area of the neighborhood and even down into their cul-de-sac on a regular basis. That dog has always been very agitated by Zeus' presence in the cul-de-sac.

I've never seen him out before. But if he gets out as often as the little girl says he does it's almost inevitable that Zeus and I will encounter him one day when he's loose. It's probably just as likely that such an encounter would go sour and that this dog would be maced at a minimum.

I'm certainly not the only armed citizen in this neighborhood. Texas is full of them. That dog's marauding won't be taken lightly, I assure you.

I think I'll look over the County regulations on dangerous dogs and see if there's a way to petition the County to come out and do interviews with neighbors before the dog seriously harms someone, especially this lovely little girl.

LF
 
#47 ·
As crappy as people can be sometimes, usually a dog is a repeated offender before the cops are called.

This is probably the best indication that there is an over-population problem with dogs. If dogs were actually the luxury that they are, people would be a lot more careful with them, and wouldn't let them get into the position where they are shot by police. People who do not care, and have nothing to lose, wouldn't be able to afford them.
 
#48 · (Edited)
As crappy as people can be sometimes, usually a dog is a repeated offender before the cops are called.

This is probably the best indication that there is an over-population problem with dogs. If dogs were actually the luxury that they are, people would be a lot more careful with them, and wouldn't let them get into the position where they are shot by police. People who do not care, and have nothing to lose, wouldn't be able to afford them.

Actually, I think it is a symptom of greed that people do not appreciate the value of that for which they do not have to pay anything.

If your only point of reference is money----then that which costs something other than money has no value.

The problem is not an overpopulation of dogs, the problem is the number of people who have not and will not learn the lesson of what is really valuable.
This seems to be a very hard lesson for some people to learn---and some people NEVER learn it.
 
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