Rottie Shot and killed in its own yard

[Burnsway]

Originally posted by Judi W


Cats running at large have become a large urban problem and they need to come under animal control laws just as other animals do. If owners allow their cats to run the neighborhood, then they are willingly and knowingly taking the risks with those lives. They do not get to punish and of all things kill the animals belonging to responsible owners to compensate for their own lack of attention and responsibility. That is indenfensible.

Im with you 100% I hate to see a cat mauled but by God why do owners think they can run wild in our property and then us be the criminal when nature takes place.......

I love cats like no tommorow...I will hold them, carress them and even train them. Just tonight my daugter is staying the night with managments daughter of our complex. I walked in to check on her and there cat jumped up in my arms. I was petting it, caressing it and she said my God that cat takes to no stranger like that. I said this cat sees me as no threat........keep it inside!!!!!!

The point is that cats are no different then dogs. If you love them and hope to keep them around......don't open the door and go.....oh your a cat go explore, it's your nature.... If you do then be prepered....:(

[Elijah's Mom]

This is obviously a tragic situation but the Rottie did not cause the problem. I know it had to be a horrible shock for the cop to see this happen but cops are taught to act responsibly under stress and I would not call pulling out a gun and shooting the Rottie "responsible" When you have cats in the home you have to be aware of where they are when you open the door to go in or out. The Rottie was an innocent victim. You can bet I wouldbe looking for the best attorney in town.......can't imagine losing my Rottie like this. :(

[GenHannibal]

Yes, and some counties have decided to make a dog automatically deemed "dangerous" if it does attack a cat, rabbit or another dog, etc. They don't care if it was provoked or unprovoked.

I would definitely press charges against that cop. Not only did he kill an animal on someone else's property, but he could have injured a person if his bullets went elsewhere!

[lblax]

Originally posted by Nancy Estes
Declawed or not, if the dog wants to kill the cat it will. But this, in my opinion, is one reason why cats should be restricted just like dogs are. I do think I would go to court if it were my dog though.

Nancy

in most areas the leash laws are for all animals not only dogs and this cop above all should have known this he and his animal was at fault. and if he was my nieghbor i would probably end up owning his house too before it was over..lmao now if the dog had crossed over to his property i feel he had every right to shoot him

[KatMc]

I can't imagine being in any of those shoes, although I can see it very easily.

I had my cat for 22 years and she was declawed, and yes, she also escaped a couple of times in those years. Both time it was because I lived in a house with no a/c and she pushed the screen out the window (after the 2nd time I figured it might not be completely accidental). Fortunatley she was found up the tree in my yard.

Had she come across a dog I'm not sure she would have known immediately that she was in danger and by the time she did it would have most likely been too late. She always ruled the roost and no matter how many dogs came and went, she was Queen. Even still I would not have trusted our dogs with her if they were all in the backyard unsupervised.

My heart breaks for the dog owner, what would I have done in the cops place?? I can't imagine shooting to kill and I'm not trained to react to situations, he should have definitely known better, even if his heart was breakihng.

Personally whether we were already having neighbor problems or not, you can bet we woud be going to court.

Kathy

[godfreyc]

Shoot my dog in my yard! Are you kidding me? There is no way on God's green earth that this is acceptable.

[JROD]

Originally posted by Judi W
The assumption that cat owners are exempt from good animal management and husbandry and are not responsible for keeping their animals confined is an idea whose time needs to end. They cannot on one hand claim the cat is not domestic and subject to domestic animal laws and on the other claim ownership and the rights to defend. If the dog were running at large and on the cat's property, then defense of the cat would be legally and morally permissable. The cat was the trespasser and the cat owner was the irresponsible owner. If your dog is found in a farmer's pasture where his livestock is, he can shoot your dog. He cannot put a lamb into your property and then claim to be defending it.

Cats running at large have become a large urban problem and they need to come under animal control laws just as other animals do. If owners allow their cats to run the neighborhood, then they are willingly and knowingly taking the risks with those lives. They do not get to punish and of all things kill the animals belonging to responsible owners to compensate for their own lack of attention and responsibility. That is indenfensible.

Here, here! Cat owners have to be responsible and must be held accountable too! ESPECIALLY the owner of a poor animal who has had their primary defensive tools surgically removed! Not only could that cat not defend himself, but he would have starved to death not being able to hunt.

[Sheenagirl]

Heard any further news about this?

[BIGWRIGHT]

I Hate to say this because I don't advocate violence but that COP would have a serious problem if he did that to my dog. Their is no question he was wrong the cat jumped the fence then that's the cops fault. Their is no debate here police officers don't make that decision to kill anyone's animal when the dog is in their own yard. It is crazy to think their should be any discussion about if he was right. He was wrong and I won't mention what I would have done to him had it been my dog. I belive the policeman in this point should be charged because suppose the owner was home and ran after after the cop while he had the gun. WHat would have happened then. If he gets away with it we should e-mail letters and complaints to the department I won't support anyone who kills another persons pet because of his own negligence.

[RottiMomCT]

I had a de-clawed cat, and it did as much damage to a dogs face as another cat WITH all it's claws.

The cat had it's rear claws...still able to defend itself. The dog NEVER even thought about going near that cat after that incident!

I agree that leash laws are for all animals, just as those pets entering a public place, such as PetCo, etc, MUSt be on leash or in a carrier...do people listen, heck no!! Do I make a fuss, heck yeah!!

Just because I own a rottie, I don't see it as a reason to let people know that leash laws exist for everyones safety - not just the dogs/cats/ferrets, etc...he's my dog, plain and simple!

I see owning ANY breed of dog as a chance to properly attempt to educate people about responsible PET ownership, and leash laws are just the beginning!

If I'm out for a walk and come across a loose dog with an owner sauntering along behind it, I'll let them know that MY dog is friendly, but I will NOT guarantee that he will be if he feels their dog is a threat to me (not to the dog, to ME)...that's just how he is...they usually see a rott and get nervous, but once I put Ben in a sit/stay, they 'collect' their dog, and we do proper introductions. They usually walk away in awe of how much self control Ben has when meeting a new dog...it's all in the training and socialization I tell people...:D

As for Mr Bullet Happy Cop...take away his gun for a LONG time...he needs to learn WHEN to use it...and shooting a dog to death, when off duty (??) with your service revolver, when NOT on a POLICE matter is NOT when you use the gun!

[JROD]

I haven't heard anything on our local news about the plans the police dept. has for this trigger happy cop. But I do plan on doing a little research and finding out who this guy's superior is and writing a letter expressing my disgust in this incident. Once I find out who I can direct my correspondence to I will let you all know.

[mark_sherry]

I'm curious as to the outcome of this situation. I don't think that there's any way that this police officer was in the right. His cat crossed over a wall onto someone else's property. The dog's prey drive is different to a human's decision to kill an unwanted cat that crosses into a yard, and I think any jury would see that. I'm sure that this officer was severly reprimanded and probably sued for all that he was worth.

[MrsK]

No way No How is this acceptable!

We have a 2 year old cat, she still has her claws, but even so; if she gets out and happens upon a dog; I would be upset beyond belief, but then again; it's my fault probably that she's out! And I am ALWAYS extremely careful of where she is when I open and close my doors!

As far as the dogs owners; that cop would have some serious issues if it were my dog he had shot! I would feel bad for his cat, and probably offer to compensate in some way... but KILLING my dog would NOT be acceptable...

[TJG]

I'm sorry the kitty had to go the way it did. The officer had no right what so ever to take matters in his own hands. As a deputy marshal we as pease officers has to maintain a certain temperment in a drastic situation. If he let something as simple as a kitties death force him to lose his temper like that, he is as useless in his line of work, the cat can be replaced. If he felt like the cat was part of his family and reacted out of love, then he is not properly supervising the animal. Is he really capible of really protecting and serving the community? Hopefully my post can be interpruted correctly.

[MrsK]

TJG; I completely agree!!