The Tasered Dog Story

[Bill Call]

We agree on many things.

So, Bill, what you are saying is that if education exists to avoid the need to tazer this dog in the future, we shouldn't take the opportunity to have that education happen? We should continue "status quo" even though we could better ourselves from something like this?.

I agree. Additional training for police officers in the area of animal behaviour is a good idea. I also think animal owners should be required to attend a training class on the responsiblities of dog ownership before they are allowed to get a dog license. An insurance requirement is also a good idea.

It's really a pointless argument with you as I know how much fear clouds judgement and ability to be rational. .

Fear has not clouded my judgement. I happen to like dogs. However, I understand that a dog is a dog is an animal and that you should always be aware of that.

I will also challenge you, Bill, to show me the statitics that state "hundreds" of cases exist as you say. That is just factually incorrect. .

Dog attack FATALITIES are increasing. There are an average of 26 FATALITIES per year:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_attack

Finally, the dog in question was not showing aggressive signals in any way. It has no history of bites or even scratches. I wouldn't expect the officers to know that (I am a sensible person, after all) . .

I agree. I wouldn't expect the officer to know that either. Did the dog attack its owner? Is the dog a stray? Is the dog violent? Is the dog deseased? Will that dog attack? If the dog bolts will it attack or kill that child across the street? In that context the officer acted appropriately and should be commended.

Again, I am gathering the educational programs, some of which are free, that exist that will help curb this from happening in the future. I will present them to the proper people and hope the city will take this seriously. .

Hopefully you will agree with me on this one thing: An educational requirement for dog owners.

[Ed Dickson]

Bill,

You may or may not know this about me. I am a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) and own North Coast Dogs, LLC. A Dog training and behavior company. I personally see aggression cases every week as well as deal with basics and a whole variety of other things related to animal behavior (including human). So, yes, I firmly believe an owner education requirement is necessary. Not just in this case, in all cases including my own dogs. I am learning something new about behavior regularly.

I am VERY well versed in what dogs are capable of. For what it's worth, I have offered up my expertise to this city on many occasions. Most of the time met with no return phone calls or no interest. Maybe this is why I have no patience for the way this was handled. Bill, I can only say to you that a VERY SMALL amount of education for the police officers that handled this and it would have been a non issue. Regardless of knowing the background of the dog. Trainers around the country with much more expertise than me have seen the video and agree. Also, these are the types of situations animal control shoudl be well versed in and the actions of the animal control person ont eh scene are DEPLORABLE at best. We'll agree to disagree on wether the police acted appropriately or not. I will assure you that you haven't heard the end of the story.

[Ed Dickson]

Also, to say a dog is a dog is an animal is true. To say dogs are unpredictable as you would maybe say about a tiger or lion or such is an out and out falsehood. We have studied dogs extensively and very minimal effort would have avoided this whole situation.

This dog is throwing out appeasement gestures constantly throughout the video. I have studied and watched it multiple times to be sure. Owner having the dog get out aside, (which is an issue, but, mistakes do happen. It's happened to me.) this was absolutrly avoidable with mild skillsets. That's the whole point.

[Missy Limkemann]

Again this also goes to show that the media will show a story on a pit attack, but will hardly ever show a story about a lab attacking someone. That just isnt "juicy" enough. But trust me, there are more attacks of non-pits out there then there are pits. Most people don't even report dog attacks/bites unless going to the hospital. Unless I need stitches I never report the attack either. Honestly right now, I clean up the wound myself, and use the glue to heal it. Working for doctors for so many years, I learned a thing a two about wounds. (hard to believe I went from working with doctors to working with dogs...LOL. how did i get here? hmmmm....)

Let me ask this question. If the police would have tasered say a Golden or Lab, would you feel the same way? HONESTLY?!?!?!

There is such a fear right now of "big bad dogs" going on right now it sickens me. Another thing that upsets me is when someone see my huge lab the first question is "how old is HE?" Well HE is a SHE and people just assume that because Lucy is big it means male. I hate that, I hate that so much I am going to start smacking people.

But after this incident, I am going to start using a taser on people that scare me. Don't know if they are going to hurt me or not, but if they "look" scary I am going to just taser away!!!!! If they can do it, why can't I? It will be a taser fest around me!!!!

[Brad Hutchison]

Dog attack FATALITIES are increasing. There are an average of 26 FATALITIES per year:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_attack

Bill, consider the following:

The 2005-2006 National Pet Owners Survey (NPOS) shows pet ownership is currently at its highest level, with 63 percent of all U.S. households owning a pet which equates to more than 69 million households. According to the 375 page survey that tracks hundreds of pet ownership trends, Americans own approximately 73 million dogs...

As I and others have said over and over and over, the percentage of dogs that are legitimately dangerous is laughably small.

I'm more mystified everyday. When did this all happen? When did America start hating dogs? Dogs and children go together like apple pie and ice cream.

So... let's try some of these dog stories, shall we?
Reading with Rover - My favorite as a former teacher.
Hero Dog Saves owner from Mountain Lion
Dog saves owner from bear but dies in attack
Cancer Sniffing Dog Saves Owner's Life
Therapy Dogs
Smoky the War Dog

[Grace O'Malley]

Dog attack FATALITIES are increasing. There are an average of 26 FATALITIES per year:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_attack

Your likelihood of dying from a dog attack is LESS than your chance of dying from being struck by lightning!

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/fatalities.htm

To date, 26 people have died in lightning strikes and there are still 5 more months of the year.

To infer that a fatal dog attack is a common occurrence is ridiculous. It is fear mongering at its worst.

[ryan costa]

statistically, you are more likely to get hit by a car than seriously injured by a dog. that's why we have drivers licenses. or something.

Statistically, you are more likely to be shot by an American male suspect wielding a hand gun than seriously injured by a dog.

statistically, you are more likely to be tazered or pepper-sprayed by the police than seriously injured by a dog.

[Christopher Bindel]

Ed, Missy, Brad, everyone,

I understand how you are upset by this situation and what is happened. Putting any creature through something like that unprovoked is cruel. Like you have said this is a situation that could have been avoided had the training been available, and I am glad Ed that you are trying to find ways that the police officers can receive this training in how to deal with this situation in the future (hopefully for free since the city has no expendable income). However, although you have stated that dog attacks are rear, and I agree that there has been some promulgating of dog fear in recent years, I hope that you agree that in the case of an untrained officer seeing a dog out an about, barking, running around, not being able to understand the dogs intention and there are people around, that perhaps a tase might be the best course of action. I am not saying that this is necessarily what happened. I wasn’t there and the video is crappy, and I’m definitely not saying that this is the preferred course of action. However in the case of under training would you rather the cop be proactive but still save the dogs life, or wait until it is to late and the dog maybe attacks someone and the cop maybe has to shoot it.

I am just asking this because as I read this it comes across that you favor the safety and wellbeing of the dogs over people. I am not saying this is true, and frankly I doubt it is, but that’s how it comes off, and I have a feeling that is partly why you are receiving some of harsh opposition that you are. Don’t take this as I me trying to marginalize the importance of the dogs safety and well being, that’s not what I am trying to do. I am simply saying that if it came down to your child and a dog which would you likely want to protect more.

[David Lay]

"Kier and the city came to an agreement. The city would reliquish Otis if he leave Lakewood forever."

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/20262273/detail.html

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

I don't know what city I live in anymore. This isn't the Lakewood that I know, and it's not the type of city I want to be in anymore.

Horrible Horrible Horrible. I can't wait until the elections arrive so I can drive out every one of the scums running City Hall today.

[Kevin Butler]

Really, Ivor? You've got every right to gripe, but the resolution to this issue sounds like the right one from my perspective.

From the police report generated when the dog was impounded: "[The owner] has a criminal history that includes Drug Possession, CCW, PCT and Aggravated Trafficking."

If "City officials said nothing would be done [to discipline the officers], adding that the officers acted properly," and if "Otis' owner agreed," as was reported, and if that owner was a convicted drug and weapons felon, wouldn't you think this is a reasonable outcome?

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

What does a drug conviction have to do with a dog, Kevin?

Is this a form of double jeopardy? The man was already convicted of those crimes and I'm sure he faced the proper punishment.

This place is a police state run by power hungry officials. Officials who, somehow, threw the best interest of their constituents out the window while they use this office as a step ladder towards their own ambitions.

Don't worry Kevin, you're still my choice for mayor. Please run, because I lost faith in the other choices a while ago.

[Ed Dickson]

Christopher,

You raise some great points and I have a long answer to that as soon as I get a chance to give it the proper time. I will answer your questions.

Kevin,

Do YOU think this was handled correctly? I'm not talking about the owner, the fact the dog was loose or any of that. I am talking to you. Someone who works with CCLAS and an animal lover. Do you think that nothing about the way this was handled from the police stand point to the animal control standpoint should have or could have been done differently?

[Kevin Butler]

What does a drug conviction have to do with a dog, Kevin?

Nothing, except if I'm attempting to negotiate a fair resolution of an issue involving the dog's owner. To me, this resolution seems pretty fair. And the owner appears to have agreed.

I don't share your view, Ivor, on who's running the city. I don't see a lot of raw political ambition clouding judgment here. Some people are more politically active than others, of course, but it's not like anyone's become more beloved for this story.

I'm satisfied with the outcome.

[Kevin Butler]

Do YOU think this was handled correctly? ... Do you think that nothing about the way this was handled from the police stand point to the animal control standpoint should have or could have been done differently?

I think it was handled correctly from my standpoint. The officer was going to shoot the dog. He thought better of that. The dog is perfectly healthy, has been seen by a vet, received good care and doesn't have a scratch on him.

No one likes to watch that kind of video, so I understand all the outrage and I'm certain you'll disagree, but in the end I'm convinced this was handled appropriately.