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A Coeur d’Alene, Idaho police officer fatally shot what he described as a “vicious pit bull” yesterday morning.
However, the dog’s owner says his dog, 2-year old Arfie, is neither a pit bull or vicious. He’s a well-mannered gentle Black Lab. What’s more, the dog was contained inside his owner’s vehicle, behind closed doors, when the officer shot the dog through the driver’s side window.
“If my dog is barking and wondering who’s peering through the windows he doesn’t care if you’re a cop, an attorney, or President Bush. He doesn’t know any difference,” Arfie’s owner, Craig Jones told KREM2 News.
The officer was responding to a call about a suspicious van. Earlier reports of someone watching young children from inside a white van prompted owners of a coffee shop to call police. When the officer approached the van, gun drawn, Arfie began barking and lunging toward the window. That’s when the officer fired a single shot, through the window, hitting Arfie in the chest.
Jones was inside the coffee shop when his dog was shot.
The suspected child predator is still on the loose.
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Robbie
says:When are we going to start holding these police officers accountable for “murdering” precious members of the family?! It is absolutely inexcusable to kill a pet and then stand behind what has become an all encompassing label “vicious dog”. Each and every instance of a pet killed should be fully investigated as if it were a human being shot, with the officer(s) being punished if it is found to be a “BAD SHOOT”!!!
Ann Moser
says:And suspended WITHOUT pay while under investigation. Why should they be paid for killing out precious family members.
Debbie
says:I so agree. Shy are the police officers being paid while they are being investigated? They have committed a huge crime. I know the dog was suffering while being locked in a hot car, but did he have to kill it?????? Hell no. This is happening much too often.
Sharon
says:This is an outrage!!! The dog was in a parked locked vehicle and no danger to the officer. Pitbull? Who can’t recognize a black lab even if you don’t know much about dogs, not that he should have acted any different to a Pitbull in a locked car. What dog wouldn’t bark at someone peering in to the car, my 10 lb lap dog would. There was no proof that the owner of this van had done anything wrong either. As someone said they could have checked out the registration and found out info on the owner of the vehicle or even wait until someone came back to the car. There was no reason what so ever for shooting this dog. This person should not be on the police force and should be procecuted for animal cruelty and fined. He should also have to make restitution to the dogs owner, not that it will bring back his pet but may make this officer think for a second before he kills someone’s pet for no reason!!!
tessa
says:how can we hold other idiots accountable for cruelty when police are asking like idiots? They are not above the law. I would see these people as red flags – i would remove from the force – they are trigger happy and next they will shot an innocent grandmother who they deem vicious for having knitting needles in her hands…unreal – completely unreal.
Carmella Blake
says:If this poor dog was in a car with the window’s rolled up, I believe this policeman had no right to shoot this dog even if it would have been a Pit Bull. Pit Bulls and Labradors or both wonderful loving animals. If this policeman was trying to investigate the vehicle the animal is naturally upset that a stranger was messing with his masters vehicle.
Christine
says:That is the height of stupidity if you ask me. The dog was safely inside a car!!! The officer was never in danger of getting bitten. Was he drunk? Did he have a stroke? can’t think of any plausible reason for him to shoot this dog!!!
If they shot the cop, I would find them justified.
TERESA
says:SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE THESE COPS NEED TO PAY…..TOO MANY ANIMALS ARE BEING SHOT AND KILLED BY COPS WHO THINK THEY OWN THE WORLD….THIS IS ANIMAL ABUSE AND IT NEEDS TO STOP
Nancy
says:I have a 7 lb. miniature schnauzer that will bark if anyone comes up to my car window. Her mouth is so small even if she bit, it wouldn’t hurt…So I suppose the cops would shoot her also because she would sound vicious. You can’t really look up to cops anymore. They shoot first and ask questions later.
Dawn
says:There are good cops and there are bad cops. Some get into the system and just want to bully and/or kill people, animals–doesn’t matter which. Have seen so many incidences in the press lately, it leads me to believe someone isn’t doing their job screening these psycho’s from the police departments around the country. There was no reason to kill this pet. He wasn’t the one guilty of a crime. Shoot first, ask questions later? Is this the policy? Some of these people need to be fired. Nobody is safe as they will go right into your home and shoot your pet for doing what they’re supposed to do. Guard your home. Guard your vehicle. Guard you! We do not need such a cowardly police force with such warped mind sets. What we do need is change–now! People need to be educated too. Not ALL pit bulls are bad.
Joan
says:Just plain wrong. The car is private property. Dog inside was protecting the property. Anyone with common sense would know that. The xoxxxox cop approached the car, most likely looking to get in somehow and the dog reacted. He could of check the license plate; run a check by calling the license number in to see who is reregistered. Finding that out, he could of approached business to see if that person or persons were near. Very naïve cop, with NO sense at all. If that happened to me and my dogs, I would sue the force for much money due to loss and pain and down the way replace my honored pet that was trying to protect my car. Stupid, extremely so!!!
Say what you want about the owner, he could have only been in the store for minute, it’s the cop, he shot through the window did the A-HOLE see if there was a person/child in the car, NO!!! just shot. Some of these so called officers of the law should be sweeping streets. Not shooting into car windows not knowing who or whar else may be in there. Once again A**HOLE !!!!! Fire him !!!!
Susara
says:That stupid cop doesn’t know anything about dogs. He can’t even distinguish between a Labrador or a pit bull such a pity for wasting the life of that poor dog. And beside the dog was contained inside t he car.
Seth Tyrssen
says:A PS to my other posted comment. Outraged dog-lovers can drop an email to [email protected], as I just did.
Seth Tyrssen
says:What the Hell did this cop think he was doing? Protests of mass outrage should be sent to the police department. Get rid of this guy.
Sharon Hensley
says:If he couldn’t see well enough to id the dog breed correctly then why in the world is he firing into the van at all? The owner is a suspected child predator – what if there was a child in the van? Someone get this cop a desk he doesn’t need to be on the streets.
Sheri Gitthens
says:I agree Sharon, except he needs to be off the force and behind bars. Anyone else who would shoot into a vehicle without knowing who or what is inside would be arrested and fined.
Patricia MacKinnon
says:This madness has got to STOP. The owner is irresponsible too.
Cindy Jobes
says:The owner of the dog and the cop ought to be strung up side by side in the town square. The owner for leaving his dog locked in a vehicle on a hot summer day, which is animal cruelty and the cop for obvious reasons….
Mike
says:The windows were partially open, but not enough for the dog to get out of the van. The owner had stopped for a few minutes. This was not a long-term abandonment.
Dawn
says:I don’t see that the dog owner did anything wrong. I didn’t read anything about it being a hot summer day. Don’t make things up to suit yourself. People do travel with their pets for a variety of reasons. You don’t know what arrangements were made for the dog in the van. If it isn’t warm and you also leave your dog a water source, and preferably park in a shady spot, then there is nothing wrong with leaving your dog in the car while you run your errand. The owner of the dog was by no means the villain in this story so don’t add insult to injury!
Peggy
says:Shoot him!!! If he is scared of a dog locked in a car how the hell is he going to protect the community??? He doesn’t need to be on the force period or anywhere for that matter!!
Toni
says:Aresholes, the cops are all corrupt anyway.
Linda
says:When are these cops going to STOP killing people’s pets????? He shot through the window???? The dog couldn’t even get to him!!!! WTH is wrong with police officers lately???? This is so cruel and sooooo out of hand with officers being gun happy lately!!!!
mj loucks
says:asshole cop! they should shot him!