Danville police shoot, kill growling miniature dachshund
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Danville officer shoots and kills 12 pound dog;...
A Danville Police Officer shoots and kills a 12 pound dog, and the owners don't understand why.
Killer, who died Monday night after being shot once, was described as “just a little house dog.“
DANVILLE -- Danville's police chief says one of his officers acted properly by shooting and killing an 11-year-old miniature dachshund that ran at him while growling.
Neighbors said Killer, who died Monday night after being shot once, was a sweet, mild-mannered dog.
"He just kind of walked up and down the neighborhood and didn't bother anybody," said Jenine Edmunds, who lives on the same cul-de-sac as Killer's owners, Tawaiin Harper and his family. "He was just a little house dog."
Police Chief Philip Broadfoot declined to name the officer who shot and killed the dog while serving two outstanding warrants to a neighbor.
As the officer returned to his car, "he was surprised by a growling dog running through the yard directly at him from the rear, leaving him with just seconds to consider his options," according to the a release from Broadfoot.
The options, according to the chief: running to the squad car, distracting the dog or using pepper spray, a baton or firearm.
Broadfoot said the dog lunged at the officer and attacked him.
"Shooting a dog which is actively presenting a threat to an officer is within the department's policy," according to the release.
Harper said he drove home from work to try to comfort his wife and two children after they called to say Killer had been shot to death by the officer.
The officer's supervisor, a lieutenant, "was very, very remorseful," Harper said. "He kept apologizing. And he said, 'I know apologizing can't bring the dog back, but I just don't know what to say.' "
Harper said friends and neighbors have asked if the family will get another dog.
"You can't replace Killer. He's one of a kind. I'm still trying to soak it in because the dog had been with us so long. He was a family member. They took a family member away."
-- Media General News Service
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Reader Reactions
Howard,
What I think has people upset here is the fact that the policeman shot a small dog that was NOT attacking him, but exhibiting normal dog behavior, alerting the neighborhood that there was an intruder. I cannot tell you the number of times that while walking in my neighborhood, I have been accosted by barking dogs, sometimes, but not always accompanied by their owners. Simply saying “No” in a loud, authoritative voice was usually enough to send them running. The only time I was ever creeped out was when I was being followed, silently, by a pit bull. Whenever I turned look at him, he would stop and stand still, but as soon as I started walking, he would resume following me. I am sure that I was being stalked.
23230: You are forgetting personal responsibility. Keep your animal chained or put away so that the possibility of harm to a human cannot happen. Put the poodle in a separate room or on a chain outside. Were I the repairman in your scenario, I would ask the owner one time to remove the dog. If the owner could or would not, either the job would not be done or (in case of a dog attack) I would shoot the animal in a second with no remorse. And no, I do not dislike dogs and other pets; I adore them. However, too many are untrained, unattended, and grow into a dangerous nuissance rather than a part of a family.
Ok Howard, I read your reply. It seems you are probably in the majority opinion here also, that Dachshunds can be dangerous. But, so then that means…
...that if the Comcast repairman comes into your house to do a job, and let’s say you have a poodle, and the poodle happens to slip away from your command & barks at the cable guy, that he could shoot it dead—in your house—and you would be ok with that? All the cable repairman would have to say is he felt ‘in danger’? A poodle, barking, a gunshot? I really don’t believe you would be ok with that at all.
23230: Surprisingly enough, I have seen worse things than a small animal gnawing at my achilles tendon while training for a college scholarship. I am a disabled veteran for a reason. And an untamed, unchained animal roaming around regardless of size can be a danger to anyone and not just children as someone mentioned. Had this dog attacked my children, I would have killed the dog and then punished the owners appropriately myself.
Unbelievable…another Whimpy COP killing a dog that would never harm him in the first place. Just goes to show that cops in this country are going after people and defenseless animals while if there were a group of people with guns facing those cops, the cops would back off!! The Day will come when the American people will not take this anymore and will confront Cops with guns. Force must be met with force. Cops are placing themselves waaaay above the law. How else are those detention camps being built for ???
I’ve owned miniature dachshunds for over 30 years. They are lively, vocal, energetic—and miniature. I think any police officer who thinks it is necessary to shoot one because it is “threatening” should not be trusted to carry a deadly weapon. God forbid he should ever be confronted with a real threat!
Howard, I agree with you 100%—at least the part about charging dog owners with assault if they allow their dog to run after someone (battery can not apply unless the dog makes contact though). However Howard…
...it is not a policeman’s job to shoot tiny barking Dachshunds. To protect the community and himself against DANGER, yes, absolutely, that’s what an officer is paid to do. Now, if you you think that a tiny barking Dachshund presents a danger, then I really don’t what else to say. Except that maybe your life has been too sheltered and you’ve never seen a dangerous situation (?).
And according to the Danville Register Bee’s story (yesterday), the officer leaned back against his car afterward, lit up a cigarette, and told the dog’s owner “He was barking. So I shot it.“
some cops just cant wait to shoot something or someone
If a dog is unchained and dangerous, shoot it. I was attacked by many dogs during my days as a runner, but the only injury I sustained was a damaged Achilles tendon by a tiny little yippy dog. After the dog is dead, charge the owners with A & B.
About 10 years ago I was living in San Diego when there was a rash of incidents in which the San Diego police shot and killed several dogs on several different occasions. The solution that the SDPD came up with was to rearm some of the offending officers with non lethal weapons, tasers, bean bag guns etc… Amazingly other than the shrinkage in the amount of dog killings SPPD was still able to do an effective job. If Danville police can’t play nice with their current toys, maybe they should be issued some different ones.
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