The Observation Deck

I can't believe that nobody is talking about this and I also can't believe this has turned into a pit bull story.

All I can say is that I'm glad the cop tasered the dog instead of shooting the dog.

I don't know how the owner can prove the dog is a boxer because I don't think the dog has any papers. Canine DNA tests available at this time are primarily a scam.

When I saw the dog was white, I also wondered if it was deaf - quite common in many breeds.

I don't know why the dog was loose, which was the primary problem. How did the dog get out? (We have had our share of loose dogs, although it appears that if you open the back door of any car our dogs will come running...)

I wish that television didn't want to make this such a big story...

If you cut out all the emotional detours, the essence of this situation is that a police officer responded to a situation where an unsupervised animal posed a potential threat.
From the video that has been shown, the officer did everything he could, and showed great empathy towards the dog to try and allow the dog to go to a safe place.
I can only think, that on a warm day with kids playing, what the potential threat of an unleashed dog could have been.
In seeing the dog's owner-------trying to respond--------all I can say is get your f****** a** out of Lakewood. We don't need your type.
Stan Austin

Media trucks in front of the police station as seen from Miller Sunoco, Lakewood's
favorite place to buy gas and get service. Just ask Steve Davis and the O'Bryans.

Well here is the media out to make Lakewood look bad. Today we are only down to
two media companies broadcasting live from Lakewood for the news. Where were
you hard hitting journalist when we went into Iraq? Oh that is right, climbing on blindly.
Well what a story to break your critical chops on.

Lakewood Police, thank you. From everything I have seen heard and understand I
agree you could have killed it, as many other cities have done.

Thanks to all members of Lakewood Law Enforcement. Owner of two dogs and lifelong
dog owner.

.

Otis just wanted a biscuit.

He was out looking for Stymie and Alfalfa

Really? You condone the actions taken with this situation? How disappointing.

I will not defend the owner for allowing his dog to be put into this situation. I will say the police need a serious lesson in how to handle a situation like this. (A VERY small amount of skill would have made the outcome and pending media coverage completely uneccesary. Remember Jim, they chose to taser instead of using the appropriate equipment.) I am absolutely appalled at animal control officer Michael Stewart's decision to drag the dog 10 to 15 feet across the pavement and lift it into his truck using nothing but the catch pole around his neck. Completely uncalled for and I have been in situations just like that with animals MUCH more upset when I worked at the APL.

Again, the whole situation was avoidable in many ways but I will not condone abuse in the city that I have chosen to live. If you do, well, what can I say..............

dl meckes wrote:
I don't know how the owner can prove the dog is a boxer because I don't think the dog has any papers. Canine DNA tests available at this time are primarily a scam.

When I saw the dog was white, I also wondered if it was deaf - quite common in many breeds.

DNA papers is what saved this dog ...


And he is not deaf...

And just today...some guy in a truck drove down my street, made the "gun" sign with his hand and threatened to kill Batman (the dog you see). In front of my home...yes MY HOME!!!!!

This dog in question (Otis) is NOT a pit...but in fact a boxer. Just like the boxer I have that I am still being stopped for...you know this guy...


I feel so sad, so angry, but now I am scared. Batman is terrified of strange men, and after being stopped a hundred time, he is terrified of a man in uniform. If he sees a police officer he is on the defensive. Thankfully I know how to control my dogs at all times. (thank you Ed for teaching that by the way ...a valuable lesson)

Dogs get out. It can happen. How many times have my dogs gotten out? A few. Invisible fence saved that nightmare. And while I am not a fan of that fence, it has kept my gang inside. Something that needed to be done. Yes they have the front yard to roam, but again a lab and beagle..seriously...I have taken more precautions in my home to assure that does not happen again where my dogs get out, but accidents do happen.

Do you know how much it is costing the city to fix that used taser? What the repair cost is? And how much is costing to keep Otis there? By the way, since Otis is there, that means there is one less run in the shelter for a dog in need. That means some stray dog is losing a space, and possibly its’ life when it is taken to the county shelter. Oh wait, that is why they call me, to come get those shelter dogs and help find them homes. But the inn is full here.

But honestly, how many men does it take to catch a dog? How many plus a taser? Ok, time to go back to school then. It only takes one little ol 109 pound me to catch a stray dog. And I catch them all the time!!!

Ed Dickson wrote:Really? You condone the actions taken with this situation? How disappointing.

Again, the whole situation was avoidable in many ways but I will not condone abuse in the city that I have chosen to live. If you do, well, what can I say..............

Ed

I am sure in the heat of the moment the officer though it was him or the dog. As I have
said from what I heard I think the officer was well within his rights, and it was certainly
better than shooting it.

I knew nothing of the dragging of the dog, only that it looked OK in the kennel.

Last weekend a friend of my wife was mauled by a friendly pet that had turned and kind of
snapped. The dog was a german shepard golden retriever mix. The family got the dog off
of her, and she was heavily bitten in the face and neck and nearly died. She has about 13
surgeries ahead of her to correct the damage. I only mention this as even some of the
best mannered dogs get threatening, and can create real havoc.

I still back Lakewood police on this one from what I have heard. It was better than a 9mm.

.

The dog is not OK. He's going to need some serious help to get over this incident. One of my trainers had dog sat for this dog just one week before. The dog was not a threat. Not even in the video. It's why I say a small amount of training for the police could have avoided this situation. The dog in the video is being defensive and looking for a safe way out. (He's not trying to play as I have read other places) Proper body technique, a few well placed treats and a catch pole and you would have never had to hear about this incident.
I will be supplying the city with information from my friends at the ASPCA on training that can be done specifically for police forces at a very cheap and in some cases free rate. I most certainly back our police force and absolutely wouldn't want the job. It's obvious that in this case they were woefully ill prepared. Animal Control, well, as far as I'm concerned. His actions are cause for dismissal in my eyes. I know the APL would have asked me to leave had I done that when I was employed by them.

DL, I too, am very sad that this seems to have been made into a "Pit Bull" issue. It was never about that for me. Unfortunately, that wasn't done by the media. It was done by Lakewood itself. It never became about a Pit Bull until Capt. Stone said that's what it was about on TV.

I have seen many people ask about this dog being deaf as well. He is not. It is true many white boxers are but this particular one is not.


Jim, I'm sorry to hear about the incident you mentioned. I am full well aware of what dogs are capable of since it is what I have chosen to do as a career path.

Ed Dickson wrote:I will be supplying the city with information from my friends at the ASPCA on training that can be done specifically for police forces at a very cheap and in some cases free rate. I most certainly back our police force and absolutely wouldn't want the job. It's obvious that in this case they were woefully ill prepared.

I hope this can happen, Ed. It is truly needed. Our first and second responders get a lot of training, which is why they are so good at what they do. A little more couldn't hurt.

Here is an interesting video...

Well I certainly am glad that the officer didn't use his hand gun in this case, and used a taser instead. But Lakewood Police is bored, and they're obviously not trained enough to spot a pit from a boxer, or an aggressive dog from a scared dog.

For those that argue "well a scared dog is the most aggressive dog you can come across" I say YAWN, BORING.

I'm glad the dogs life wasn't taken, or an officer or child wasn't hurt by any dog bites, and I REALLY hope that the dog owner gets his dog back.

But we should think about educating the people that enforce this dog law about dogs a bit more. You can't just put a law in place and expect officers to spot breeds of dogs and behaviors of dogs. The average joe would run away from a loose dog, which is one of the dumbest things you can do. That shows you how much the average joe, or police officer, knows about an animal. They are hired to deal with crazy humans, not animals.

Police aren't necessarily trained to handle dogs; that's why they have an Animal control. But, one would expect an Animal control employee to actually know how to control and deal with an animal. This person was not competent and I have to wonder why. Was he trained or are animal control positions merely patronage jobs?

The dog was NOT displaying aggression. A competent and trained animal control person could have handled capturing the dog without the use of a taser. Its a shame that didn't happen because now we've inflamed the situation and made it into a pit bull controversy, which it is not.

Amazing - Only took LO posters nearly a week to first comment on tasered dog story yet DOG PARK got near immediate posting and pages of comments .

Seems to an outsider - IF? positive Lakewood news then report quickly but IF negitive Lakewood info - wait to see if national or international news groups pick up story before local comment started . Leadership at its finest or just a joke .

Hell - here in Parma we just run them over and then cook and eat the good parts .

Dennis J Kampe wrote:Amazing - Only took LO posters nearly a week to first comment on tasered dog story yet DOG PARK got near immediate posting and pages of comments .

Dennis

Now we can see how long it will take PO posters.

Launched at 4th of July Parade.

Missed seeing you there.


.

JOB - Have not heard about progress / launch of Parma O ( PO not good initials but better than Bay Observer etc

re No/little Kampe posts - denny do nohing is fulflling his name - Do/Done Nothing for LOCALS - guess too busy saving Ohio? USA? World? Universe?

Hopefully 2000 census got him come 2010/12 so he can "retire" to Shirley M ranch again smoking whatever Willie N is using/suppling at the time living off his wife's salary and his nearly $2 MILLION salary as congressional REPRESENTative from late 1980's .