For example-
If an Officer recieves a call of a dog hit by a car and upon arriving at the scene he sees that the dog is suffering and near death... Can he shoot him? or maybe with like a deadly tranquilizer gun?
2006-08-08 20:05:40 · 13 answers · asked by ~Michelle~ 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Most departments don't allow an officer to discharge a firearm unless it is to protect themselves or a third party. I work on an urban department, and rural areas may have a different policy. We just call animal control to handle the animal. It is a huge risk to discharge a weapon in an urban area like I work in. I agree, no one likes to see an animal suffer, and I personally have never been faced with this scenario in 20 years of policing. I know officers who have, and the ones that did shoot an animal, without exception, were reprimanded.
I shot two Rottweilers who were running loose in a neighborhood and had attacked 2 residents, and then charged me. Different circumstances there though.
2006-08-08 20:29:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 8⤊ 2⤋
Like most of the other police posters said, it depends on the department policy. That is usually dictated by the area the department serves.
My first department was not very heavily populated and we had a green light to dispatch a suffering animal, be it dog or deer. My current department is more of a resort area with lots of tourists. We are not allowed to shoot an animal. We call animal control at that point. (Standing there watching the animal suffer while you wait for animal control can be heartbreaking, especially if the owner is there.)
2006-08-08 21:22:52 · answer #2 · answered by gunsandammoatwork 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I'm a former Cop and have done that, didn't like it, but It is better to end the suffering, I've also had to do it to a horse that had both front legs sheared off by a car. The owner of the horse was standing there begging me to put it out of it's misery. The horse was flopping around and trying to get up, but had no front legs! they were both hanging off the front bumper off the car that hit the horse! What would you have done? I did what I had to do. What would you have done?
2006-08-08 20:30:18 · answer #3 · answered by basscatcher 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think in most places it would be allowed.
The officer would need to be very careful that the bullet didn't rocochet and cause other damage, and I suspect police departments would have very specific instructions pertaining to situations like this.
Probably an officer would be instructed to call animal control if that was possible or practical.
2006-08-08 20:10:59 · answer #4 · answered by Warren D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Legally I do not know? Maybe each state is different? Morally it is best. If something dreadful happened to one of ours I would rather someone put him out of his misery.
We only have one animal control person for our whole county. I no this is the way peeps deal with cats here. We do not have a place to take them.
2006-08-08 20:11:55 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have seen them do it to deer.. Not a dog.. But now if a criminal runs through your yard and the cop chases.. If your dog cases/attacks the cop.. The cop has every right to shoot the dog.. I know unfair.. But true.
2006-08-08 20:12:38 · answer #6 · answered by emanon 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think a police can just discharge his/her firearms to end an animal's misery.... He/she can only do so if his/her life were in mortal danger.
2006-08-08 20:12:27 · answer #7 · answered by miso 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He/she can't do that it's called animal crulity and is against the law.
2006-08-08 21:13:14 · answer #8 · answered by clo 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Game warden might
2006-08-08 20:11:03 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since you can do it yourself, why call a cop?
2006-08-08 20:12:23 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋