300-lb. probation officer shoots woman’s 12-pound dog in Albany [GA]

[alp227]

By Chelsea Cariker

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A probation officer in Southwest Georgia fatally shot a woman’s 12-pound dog while on a routine visit Monday, an act the dog’s owner claimed was unnecessary.

Cherrie Shelton’s dog Patches, a two-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, approached officer Antoine Jones as he arrived at her home, she told FOX 31 in Albany. Before Shelton, of Albany, could finish telling the officer the dog wouldn’t bite, he had pulled out his gun and shot the dog.

The bullet hit Patches’ left side. The dog then walked to the side of the house, where she died 30 minutes later, Shelton told the television station.

When Shelton questioned Jones why he shot her dog, she said the officer responded that he feared for his life.

full: http://www.ajc.com/news/news/breaking-news/300-lb-probation-officer-shoots-womans-12-pound-do/nbLyh/

[awoke_in_2003]

1. if a 12 pound badger is running at you...

fear for your life. A 12 pound dog? Not so much.

[Junkdrawer]

2. Update: Georgia Department of Corrections insisted that the officer acted “appropriately.”

Update (3:00 p.m. ET): In a statement to WFXL, the Georgia Department of Corrections insisted that the officer acted “appropriately.”

“On Oct. 7th, two Albany Probation Officers were conducting a field visit. During this time, an Albany Probation Officer was involved in an incident that required him to use use of force against an aggressive canine during a field visit. An incident report was filed and it was determined that the Probation Officer responded appropriately.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/10/10/300-pound-georgia-probation-officer-shoots-12-pound-jack-russell-terrier/

Because, two officers are no match for a 12 lb. dog

[xfundy]

3. Dammit.

This is part of the abuse of authority mentality that's been metastasizing since Bush the Dumber's reign of error.

[pnwest]

4. God, these stories make me so mad. I would

come unfuckinghinged if a cop or probation officer came onto my property and shot my dog. Un. Fucking. Glued. I'd definitely end up in jail, and after getting out, I'd make it my life's mission to fuck up that persons shit. I'd INVENT ways to stalk and harass them. It's so infuriating!

[OwnedByCats]

5. Me too

I'd lose my mind too. I'm hearing stories like this more and more. Seriously pisses me off.

[yuiyoshida]

6. Wasn't there a video recently of police officers

Gunning down a dog? This is horrible... happening all too often.

[Junkdrawer]

7. They also gunned down the dogs of the Mayor of Berwyn Heights, MD...

It has been four years since Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo’s two black Labrador retrievers were killed by Prince George’s County sheriff deputies during a raid on his home and, since that time, he has focused on making changes to prevent the needless killings of animals by law enforcement officers.

That time has arrived, according to county officials.

In-service animal-control training began in March for county police and began in May for sheriff’s deputies.

Calvo’s home was raided by a county SWAT team July 29, 2008, after a 32-pound package of marijuana was mailed to his home to be intercepted in a smuggling operation in which Calvo and his family were later cleared of any involvement. Calvo, who was never charged, said officers entered his home without knocking and shot his two dogs, Chase and Payton

....

http://www.gazette.net/article/20120726/NEWS/707269908/1077/years-after-mayor-s-dogs-were-shot-by-police-training-on-confronting&template=gazette

[ManiacJoe]

8. The dog owner seems to have some blame here.

http://www.mysouthwestga.com/news/story.aspx?id=957720

Jones knocked on the front door and heard a dog barking, then proceeded to step off of the wooden deck and back down into the yard.

As the owner of the trailer, Sherry Shelton opened the door, a dog (Patches), alleged to be a "cocker spaniel/Jack Russell mix," charged out in an aggressive manner toward Jones.

Jones directed Ms. Shelton to get the dog, and she failed to comply, instead telling Jones that the dog would not bite him.

The dog continued to growl and behave in an aggressive manner towards Jones, so the officer took out his weapon and fired one round into the chest area of the dog. The round entered and exited the dog's body.

That said, the officer's justification does not seem to hold water.