Rottweiler shot in San Diego

[cuppacoffee]

Not much info yet, but here's the basics:

© Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[LavenderRott]

If a police officer runs through someone's yard in pursuit of someone, a reasonable person would assume that if the suspect had gone through the same yard and an aggressive dog was present - the dog would have gone after the suspect. IF the dog did not attack the person being chased, why would one assume that it would attack the person doing the chasing? If the dog wasn't already barking and growling - why would one assume that the suspect had gone into that particular yard?

If a labrador had come running at the officer, would his response have been the same? Or would he have opted to taser the dog instead of using a gun?

[Tywaknya'sBABY]

I hope the dog makes it and the owners sue!

Your right...
Barking Lab = By any means necessary
Barking Rott = ANY means is justified

[Trace]

You mean to tell me the dog was in his own backyard, minding his own business, when people intruded into his yard and he was shot for barking at them? Oh that really makes me mad! Makes ya wonder if our dogs are safe anywhere

[Tywaknya'sBABY]

Yup! Bet thats not how the cop will tell it. Poor baby didn't do anything wrong.

[MissMary]

Our dogs aren't safe any where, IMO.

[spoiledbabies3]

If I'm reading the article correctly, the dog was in it's own yard...if so, then absolutely NO justification for shooting the animal! Tasering him would have been an acceptable alternative...as an owner of a rottie, the city, police dept and police officer all would have received paperwork this AM on a lawsuit! No questions asked...but this is also why MY rotties LIVE inside the house...no question then, if you're INSIDE my home, you don't have ANY LEG to stand on for harming ANY of my dogs! I'm sorry the owner is having to go through this, and I hope the dog survives...

[Taki]

Why are people so bloody scared of our dogs. The cop should have his gun taken off him. Poor dog thats how many Rott incidents this week now?

xXx

[Bruce Lanthier]

Originally Posted by spoiledbabies3

.no question then, if you're INSIDE my home, you don't have ANY LEG to stand on for harming ANY of my dogs!...

LOL I am curious as to what you mean by this.

You know, if there were a fire in your home and the firemen entered, felt threatened by your dog a killed it, what do you think would happen to them? If a policemen had probable cause to enter your home ( a neighbor reports a breaking and entering, cop finds an open, broken door) and feels threatened by your dog and shoots it, what do you think will happen to them?

Even a step further, a crook breaks into your home, your dog attacks him, he kills it, steals stuff and leaves. What do you think he is going to be prosecuted for IF he is caught?

[spoiledbabies3]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lanthier

You know, if there were a fire in your home and the firemen entered, felt threatened by your dog a killed it, what do you think would happen to them? If a policemen had probable cause to enter your home ( a neighbor reports a breaking and entering, cop finds an open, broken door) and feels threatened by your dog and shoots it, what do you think will happen to them?

Even a step further, a crook breaks into your home, your dog attacks him, he kills it, steals stuff and leaves. What do you think he is going to be prosecuted for IF he is caught?

Sorry, if I didn't make myself clear...All dogs are crated inside my home...there is a decal posted on the front and back door/window that dogs are inside the home for purposes of both police and firefighters...I would also hope that my fire/burglar alarm system would notify the proper authorities (and ME)...I believe that's what they are suppose to do....until you enter, you don't know whether or not the dogs are loose...so for the safety of my dogs, they are crated! So there had really better be a GREAT reason for harming a dog that is crated. I realize that my dogs are not suppose to be guards, that's why I have an alarm system. But I also know enough about the law, that once you ENTER my property, you had better have a very good reason for harming anyone/anything on my property. Sure, it takes a lot of energy to beat the city...and having many relatives that are police officers I do understand the risks...but if my crated dogs are the price they decide to charge...$$$$ is not even in question anymore. It would be all about principal then! Some might not understand this...

As far as the burglar...he had best hope I'm not home when it happens...he might not be as lucky as he thought...raised in the open country with lots of vermin so maybe he wouldn't walk away so calmly...who knows????

[szky]

Having a few years in Law Enforcment, I cannot say weather or not the force used against the Rottie was inappropiate. We weren't there. However, one of the truisms of Police Work is, when you chase someone over a fence and into a yard, he wakes the dog up. You (the Officer) must deal with the newly awakened dog. I, for one, would (and have) retreated.

Regarding this set of facts "if a crook breaks into your home, your dog attacks him, he kills it, steals stuff and leaves. What do you think he is going to be prosecuted for IF he is caught?" I can tell you a jury will convict the crook in a New York minute once they find out an animal is involved. And they will want to send the guy away for as long as they can.