Many working dogs are other dog unfriendly... especially towards other male dogs... the Unit most likely wanted to avoid a lawsuit... sad for Bosco and his handler...

 

Very sad. For him to attack and kill another dog and go after another one speaks of a lose screw to me.

 

Does anyone know any details about the dog attack - could be he was defending himself also.

 

Yes it does not sound like the dog was very well balanced.

 

I was worried that this was Bosco from this story

Bosco

It must be a popular K9 name - poor dog

 

It could be that he was attacked as well. But I think the story said the dog that was killed was in it's own yard so it would be imposible to prove. I would have to go back and re-read the article.

I also wonder if this dog had issues in the past and so they attacked on this one.

 

Woah, I understand if he was HA or something, but to kill him for being DA? Geeze. He could have been rehomed/rehabbed in a rescue. I don't think animal on animal killings shows an unstable dog. Wolves will kill each other within the pack. He's a dog.

Why was poor Bosco put in a situation where he could get away and kill another dog? The handler had to know he was DA, and it says he was put outside and ran off. My old dog would have happily killed her way through every dog in the neighborhood and then come home to give me kisses. She was never given the chance. When she was walked she had two different leads (control harness and a thick collar) and never alone in the yard.

My heart goes out to the family who's dog Bosco killed.

 

From: http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14191024
"A Monterey County sheriff's dog was euthanized Wednesday after it escaped and mauled a family dog to death and attacked another dog.

The owner of the dog, named Bosco, let him out of the house for a break in the Aromas area about 3 a.m., but Bosco took off running and did not return to his handler when he was called, according to the sheriff's office."

"The sheriff's office issued a statement saying that the decision to euthanize the dog was "a difficult one, <span style="color: #FF0000">but in light of a prior incident,</span> a decision that had to be made." "
It sounds like a terrible handler error to me. I wonder why the handler allowed Bosco to run at large in the first place instead of putting him in a secure enclosure for him to "take his break". Also it appears Bosco had a prior incident but no more details were given in the article.

The second dog also died.

 

I agree that this is a handler error. I know quite a few police K9s that are dog agressive (a friend of mine trains them). In such a situation it is the responsibility of the handler to keep the dog safely confined. I wonder whether the yard of the handler was fenced, it does not say that the dog jumped the fence.

 

Originally Posted By: KathyW the story said the dog that was killed was in it's own yard

Not to change the subject of the thread but this is yet another reason why I am 100% against electric fences for dogs and 100% for PHYSICAL fences.

A physical fence might have keep the police dog out.

 

A physical fence may have given the police officer enough time to get there, and it may have been enough of a barrier that the dog was ok with the status of the turf. It may have made the difference.

One of our k9s came after Dubya while I was walking him. I heard them shouting at the dog and kept walking keeping Duby with me until I could turn around in front of my dog holding his head toward me. The two officers had the dog on the ground. Scarey. Dubya was an intact male, and that could have been the difference.

Still, how do they let the dog go after a perp if the dog is so dog aggressive that it will attack a dog that might be around?

I think that the sherriff's department made the choice due to a couple of incidents, and if they were to rehome the dog, with all of its training, and something were to happen, they may have been liable down the line.

I think the officer/handler should be off the k9 corp and not given the possibility of a new dog. I think he screwed up big time.

 

I know plenty of people who handle dogs who are so DA there is no amount of training to even get their attention on you, they want nothing but to tear into the other dog. Bosco, IMO, didn't have to die.

I agree Selz... How did this dog work, if he was so DA he couldn't be off lead? Did it say what he worked in?

 

I had not realized it was an electric fence. Too bad all the way around

 

Originally Posted By: APBTLoveWoah, I understand if he was HA or something, but to kill him for being DA? Geeze. He could have been rehomed/rehabbed in a rescue. I don't think animal on animal killings shows an unstable dog. Wolves will kill each other within the pack. He's a dog.

Why was poor Bosco put in a situation where he could get away and kill another dog? The handler had to know he was DA, and it says he was put outside and ran off. My old dog would have happily killed her way through every dog in the neighborhood and then come home to give me kisses. She was never given the chance. When she was walked she had two different leads (control harness and a thick collar) and never alone in the yard.

My heart goes out to the family who's dog Bosco killed.

Most rescues would not have the resources or ability to handle most police dogs. I would think there would be MASSIVE liability issues for the Police Department AND Rescue to place a trained Patrol dog into a rescue. Now if it was a detector dog there would not be as much of an issue.

 

Originally Posted By: Amaruq

Originally Posted By: APBTLoveWoah, I understand if he was HA or something, but to kill him for being DA? Geeze. He could have been rehomed/rehabbed in a rescue. I don't think animal on animal killings shows an unstable dog. Wolves will kill each other within the pack. He's a dog.

Why was poor Bosco put in a situation where he could get away and kill another dog? The handler had to know he was DA, and it says he was put outside and ran off. My old dog would have happily killed her way through every dog in the neighborhood and then come home to give me kisses. She was never given the chance. When she was walked she had two different leads (control harness and a thick collar) and never alone in the yard.

My heart goes out to the family who's dog Bosco killed.

Most rescues would not have the resources or ability to handle most police dogs. I would think there would be MASSIVE liability issues for the Police Department AND Rescue to place a trained Patrol dog into a rescue. Now if it was a detector dog there would not be as much of an issue.

Thats if the policy isnt to put the dog down anyways. Our county, thankfully, allows handlers first *dibs* at *resuce* of their dog when they are retired. If, for whatever reason they dont, they may allow another k9 officer, or knowledge experienced k9 person with them to *rescue* the dog.

If not, dog gets put down. Its to much of a liability to just allow anyone to adopt the dog.

 

Yes, that is the policy at many Police Departments. <sigh> Someday there will be safe places for dogs like this to go.

 

Just sad... I know that some GSD rescues I've browsed had retired K9's though... Perhaps it was best he was put down