Rottie Shot and killed in its own yard

[JROD]

An off duty San Diego cop shot and killed his neighbors pet Rottie yesterday. His cat had gotten out of his house (and was declawed) and jumped the fence into the yard with the Rottie, where the Rottie was attacking the cat. The cat later died at the vets office. Cop says he tried everything he could to get the dog to release. Police are investigating.

Any comments on this? Do you think it was ok for him to use his gun on his neighbors dog during an attack (even thought it wasn't on his property)? Personally, I think it is a good example of why not to declaw a cat. No survival skills.

[LORHEL]

Well another unfortunate incident, there's not much you can say except I don't understand how animals get out, if you are careful... I have had my declawed cats for four years and not once have they gotten out... :(

[Wyzz Kydd]

In my opinion the officer had no right whatsoever to kill that rottie or otherwise injure it. If I were the owner I would be pressing both criminal and civil charges if possible.

First the officer decided to remove his cats main defensive weapons, then he was neglectful enough to allow it to get out of the house and into someone elses yard. At that point, even though I like cats (I own one), it is just too bad for the cat. Why should the rottie who is in his own yard be made to suffer? Why should the owner who likely had a lot of time, money and love invested in the dog be made to suffer? Particularly when he had done nothing wrong?

What a bummer, the cop should lose his job, he is obviously not competent.

[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

[RottiMomCT]

Hmmmm...a few points to consider....

Did the officer use his service revolver in the shooting?

Was he on a call for a POLICE MATTER or at his own home on his personal time...not working?

What did the owner of the dog do to try to stop the attack?

Just my 2 cents...

[Anne]

I would certainly be pressing charges. I wonder if this policeman should be in possession of a gun. I am sure he is not at liberty to use it in this way. In any case, how stupid was the cat? I have two dogs and both my neighbours have 2 cats apiece. Those cats do not enter by backyard where the dogs might be ( my dogs live inside with me) the cats do not even jump onto the fence. Sue this gun happy cop.

[Miabella]

This is outrageous. I would certainly be pressing charges and filing a civil lawsuit. I can't imagine that this cop has a leg to stand on.

However, this is yet another reason not to leave your dogs outside unsupervised. Dogs will be dogs, and unfortunately, some dogs see cats as prey. This is not their fault, and they don't deserve to be shot for it. However, I bet this crazy cop wouldn't have been so quick to shoot if the dog's owner was out there trying to stop the incident. Just a sad story for everyone involved.

[JROD]

Because this just happened on Monday nothing much has been reported as far as an update. You can go to nbcsandiego.com for the story. They also have a picture of the Rottie, Mica.

Sounds to me like owners of the Rottie have excellent grounds for a lawsuit. Talk about a violation.

[LORHEL]

After reading and thinking some more, that cop should not have gotten so gun happy, it was not those dog/s fault, what a shame! I would definitely be taking legal action on that guy.... some of these guys like to play vigilante and its not their place...we had an incident here where a cop shot a pit bull over 30 times, and claimed it still was coming after him... I understand the need to shoot but that is way beyond necessary.

[Sheenagirl]

Sorry about the cat, but those dogs were behind a block wall in their own yard. Case closed - the cop doesn't have a leg to stand on! I would definately file charges/go after him with everything I had if he had shot my dog. Being a law enforcement officer - he should have known better than that. I understand the cop was frantic about his cat but he knew the cat was outside of his property (there probably is a lease law also). Emptying his gun the way he did - he obviously meant to kill the dog not to just wound her. I would be furious (and that doesn't even begin to describe my feelings).

[Barb and Raven]

This makes me just want to scream at someone!! The dog was just being a dog and doing what any other dog would do. Mine will chase any squirrel that enter my backyard.
If this were my dog I would surely bring a lawsuit against him. I wonder if he even thought out any of the consequences of his actions. The dog owners were totally in the right with their dogs in a fenced yard. I am wondering if there is more to this case that we don't know about. How were these neighbors at getting along with each other? This man may have been just waiting for the chance to do something like this.

It always makes me want to cry when I hear about these cases. I really feel for the owners. I know they loved that dog as much as I love my own because they cared enough to have a fenced yard for them.

I am hoping we can keep up with how this case turns out.

[KRISSIE]

If I was the owner of that dog I would definitely be filing charges, Oh ya, we would be in court after an incident like this . This was not the dogs fault , the cat was in the dogs yard and the cat was declawed. I do feel sorry for the cat but I do not feel the Rottie should have been killed. There are other actions that cop could have taken to break it up besides shooting to kill the dog.

[Rottnlove]

What an aweful situation. How sad for both pets.

What could the officer do? I don't think shooting the dog in it's yard was appropriate, but what else could he have done to stop the attack??

How hard it would be to watch your pet get attacked and/or killed.

Luckily my cat still has her claws because she can sneak out so fast as soon as my little boy opens the door! She's sneaky. Cats go wherever they want. How sad this story is.

I don't agree with the officer shooting that dog, but I can understand how he must have felt when he watched it happen. That would be difficult.

[KRISSIE]

He could have used pepperspray!

[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.