Here's the story, about two weeks ago my g/f's brother in law had a 8 month old female chocolate lab (Maggie) shot in the head three times by a local officer's .45cal pistol, he claimed self defense because the dog was about to attack him. For eveyone's information, that was the sweetest dog and wouldn't attack a T-Bone steak, I mean, he let it play with his little daughter all the time and honestly that dog was really a big, clumsy goof. Anyway...

So I was in Subway last night and there were some local cops in there as well. One of the cops I recognized as the one that shot Maggie. So I wasn't hving a very good night and I was rather pissed, so me and my gf/f got in my car ('93 Lexus LS400) and left with a little engine noise, never broke speed limit, just some revving of the engine. Anyway, about a mile down the road I turn off on a dirt road to take my g/f home and as I pulled up to the stop sign, I had to turn my headlights off because my gauges aren't lighting up at night and lately my car has had some overheating issues so I was trying to get a gauge reading, and alll of a sudden this cop spotlights me and turns on his lights.

I call him out on shooting the dog and then he gets real pissy and asks me why I was blacking out and trying to hide from him. I had no idea he was following me! He claimed I did a burnout and wanted him to chase me, I tell him the whole story and claim innocence, said I was upset about the killing of the dog and was having a bad night. My buddy, who's a cop too, called him up and tried to get him to drop the "careless driving" charge, but the cop who shot the dog said he was giving me a ticket and nobody could change his mind. My buddy said he was really pissed because I asked him about the whole dog incident and that set him off.

This has totaly ruined my weekend and I just wanted to vent.[sm=rant.gif][sm=headbang.gif]

 

All I can say about the dog is that you can never be sure what happened with any situation unless you were there (sometimes even then, our recall isn't perfect). Don't be a dick, (although I understand, and might have reacted the same way if I was in your shoes) that cop has a hard enough job, and I'm sure he didn't enjoy killing someone's beloved pet. If you can, try tocontest the ticket incourt. Just be honest with the judge. It mightbe reduced or eliminated.

 

If the dog was about to attack him then how could he put three bullets in its head? Sounds more like target practice to me. I'd probably lose my cool and end up with a few bullets in my head to. I am very appreciative of the work that cops do for us and I think that just about all cops are good people that are just doing their job and really want to help the community... but then you get a power trippin' a-hole thats acts like someone pissed in his chereos every morning. The only way to handle them is to just let them run their mouth and take whatever ticket they give you and go to court about it because 9 times out of 10 cops like that dont show up and the ticket is dropped.

 

as a fellow lab owner, I probably would have completely lost it and gotten myself beat-sticked. In my hometown of Richland Center, Wisconsin a woman who trains dogs had her personal pet lab get out of her yard. She went to retrieve her mastiff, which also left the yard, figuring the lab is less to worry about. Well this guy who had rabbits in cages in his truck on the street pulls out a knife and stabs her dog to death, claiming it was trying to kill his rabbits. He was arrested and released that same day. That whole situation renewed my faith in our local sherriff and district attorney. Guy is waving a knife around downtown killing someones pet, lets put him back out on the street, because he obviously has something missing upstairs.
My sympathies for your friend.

 

wow man this whole story makes me sick... I really feel bad for you guys for losing your companion like that... and I feel a lot worse for the world for having to depend on ******** like that to protect us from the bad guys

 

I respect all officers and anyone else who puts there life on the line everynight, but I think this guy was one of the bad minority of policemen and on a power trip. I asked him what was careless about my driving and all he said was sign the ticket or I'm taking you to jail. Didn't want to come off as a dick but I was really upset then.

 

Self defense on an 8month old lab? I'm sorry, but I don't buy it. What happened to his mace? I'm pretty sure that would have discouraged the dog without seriously harming it if in fact it was being aggressive. I would have a hard time controlling my anger at him as well so don't feel bad. Karma is a bitch and it will get him sooner or later.


I'd file a formal complaint against the officer for the dog shooting and call the local media.