Family demands change in policy after Pines officer shoots dog

[trumad]

He has his own Facebook page, a family mourning him and a following of furious animal lovers.

Baxter, an Australian shepherd, died on March 19, three weeks after being shot by a Pembroke Pines police officer who said the dog charged him and his partner as they stood outside the family's open front door.

The shooting has enraged neighbors and friends of the dog's owners, Frank and Cindy Jones and their children, Bella, 18, Allie, 17, and Cameron, 13.

Police say Officer Nicholas Taber shot the 6-year-old dog after he charged at Officer Daniel Sammarco, a police trainee.

Taber fired at Baxter six times, hitting him three.

Police department officials have said the shooting was justified. The two officers had been called to the Lido Isles neighborhood in response to a neighbor's complaint about a loose dog.

Baxter had gotten out of the house but had returned and was inside when the officers came to the door.

The officers spotted Cameron in an upstairs window and motioned for the boy to come downstairs.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/pembroke-pines/pines-cop-kills-dog-20120406,0,6391489.story

[madokie]

1. In cases like this

cops really piss me off

[Cooley Hurd]

2. MIserable fucking pigs.

[xchrom]

3. Shooting the family dog and suffering no repercussion

Is a good way to let people know who is in charge.

[mainer]

4. The dog was standing his ground and defending his castle

I guess that law doesn't apply when you're just an unarmed dog.

[nashville_brook]

12. [phone]

[Joe Shlabotnik]

20. Last summer at the beach, some cops asked to inspect everyone's water bottles for alcohol.

As the cop approached me my GSD, Ava, began to growl defensively at him. He apologized and stated that he was just doing his job. I retorted that she was just doing her job too.

[Upton]

5. Australian Shepherds are wonderful dogs..

while many cops are nothing more than thugs with a badge and immunity..

I don't trust the police...why should I? The only solution is to stay out of their way...and for me, that means never calling them for any reason.

[mistertrickster]

16. Shepherds are protective dogs. Of course, it's going to bark. That's its job. nt

[droidamus2]

6. Absolutely uncalled for

Dogs are territorial animals you come on their property especially if they sense you as some how threatening they will bark and growl and yes some do bite. For example I have a 100+ pound dog that we took to the local pet store for training and he was nice and friendly with no problems he is normally a pretty mellow guy but I guarantee if you come on 'his' property you will think he is going to tear your head off. Personally I think most of it is just for show but just to be safe people that come to our home have learned to wait until we have him under control (he is chained when outside so he is usually under control). What kept these a-hole cops from retreating to their cruiser until the family could get the dog under control and then talking to them? Answer? Nothing. These jerks that are trained to always be in control of the situation and don't take crap from anybody and then are given a gun are just dangerous. No I am not saying all cops are idiots like these but I do think a lot of arrogant idiots do become cops. Another question, one shot wasn't enough he had to try and shoot the dog six times. Looks like he just didn't want to have to deal with the dog, knew he wouldn't get in any trouble so he just blasted away. At the very least he should have lost his job personally I think he should have ended up in jail.

[trumad]

7. I'm not sure by the article if the dog was in the house when shot.

If so---this is really bad.

[Quantess]

11. It looks like the dog came out of the house barking at the officers when they arrived at the house.

Normal behavior for a dog. That dog did nothing wrong.
This is horribly sad. Poor kids, too!

[rbnyc]

8. The other three bullets...

...could have killed someone else as well.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

9. If this had been a Pit Bull...

...this forum would be going bat shit crazy, but since it is an australian blue heeler everyone is pissed.
Breedists.

[trumad]

10. Yeah becuase australian blue heeler

are killers.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

22. I'm just saying...

It depends on the owners, not the breed. But everyone freaks out about pits. IF this had been a pit, the board would be praising the cops for shooting it. That's all I'm saying.

[TownDrunk2]

13. what a living piece of shit that cop is

[magical thyme]

14. this is so sickening

I look at my 7 year old labx who came to me at 7 weeks, and my 4 year old rhodiex at 7 months, and just want to cry.

What the fuck is wrong with those cowardly cops? We don't have the people-crowding here in Maine that they have down there, but everybody here has dogs, and every summer we get millions of visitors, many of whom bring their furkids with them. With all the mix of local dogs and visitor dogs, and even a nearby dog park where they're allowed to run loose, I've never read of a cop shooting a dog up here.

Criminies, if the cops had to come to my house for a loose dog, they'd be more likely to kneel down, hug my pups and shoot me, after reaming me out for letting my dog loose to get possibly get hit by a car.

I was thinking of trying to get a "traveling" job and spending the winter in Florida. NO WAY. I wouldn't even consider risking my boys in that sick state. No vacations to Florida, either.

Every time I think I can't stand Maine any more, I read these stories about sick, cowardly hateful cops down south shooting furkids willy nilly, for no good reason.

is wrong with them? They never heard of pepper spray?

[mistertrickster]

15. "A loose dog in the neighborhood . . . " When I was a kid in the 60's

do you know how many dogs in my neighborhood ran around loose?

ALL OF THEM.

Packs of dogs ran free all over the place. We knew them and played with them like friends.

This obsessive fear of aggressive dogs causes a lot of untold misery.

Dogs usually aren't aggressive toward humans or each other; they just have to get to know you.

[ElboRuum]

17. Oh ffs.

"Police department officials have said the shooting was justified."

Show me one example where they ever said it wasn't, just so I'm clear that this sentence isn't just a pile of vacuous nonsense.

[Kaleva]

18. I've been attacked by several dogs back when I worked.

I grew up on a farm and have a very good understanding on why dogs behave the way they do. I wasn't going to complain to my boss or to the police after being attacked lest the dog be put down for doing what instinct told it to do. Defend its territory and pack against intruders. I did talk to the owners (who were all very apologetic) after the incident about the need to restrain their pet in the future lest it attack someone far less easy going then me.

[Dawson Leery]

19. Why should coppers be trusted?

This is a blatant abuse of power.

[Quantess]

21. This is so sad.