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A deputy from Missouri, who shot a family’s dog and threw its body in a ditch, is being sued by the family for killing their dog in an “wholly unjustified”, “senseless”, and illegal manner.
In August this year, the family’s dog, a nine-year-old Labrador mix named Parker, ran away from his family’s home during a storm.
Parker ended up in a neighbor’s home after being disoriented during the storm.
The neighbor, Hillary Mayberry, called the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Office for help. However, instead of returning Parker to his family and home, Stoddard County police officer Rodger Seal shot him and threw his body in a ditch.
According to the lawsuit filed on October 31 by Parker’s owners, Tylla and Bryan Pennington, Seal arrived at Mayberry’s home and took the dog in his patrol vehicle and drove away.
Seal then took the pooch to a nearby wooded area. In the wooded area, Seal called Parker to get out of the patrol car and come to him. Parker obliged and that was when he shot the poor dog.
According to the suit, Parker did not immediately pass away after getting shot. “Instead Parker laid suffering in great pain from the initial gunshot wound for approximately eight (8) minutes.”
“During this eight (8) minutes, Parker was drug on the ground by Defendant Seal. After an agonizing eight (8) minutes of suffering, Defendant Seal shot Parker again finally killing Parker. After finally killing Parker, Defendant Seal threw Parker’s lifeless body in a ditch.”
The suit argues that while Stoddard County has a written policy to allow a deputy to shoot animals, they should be considered “dangerous, diseased or incapacitate”, which was not the case for Parker.
The lawsuit claims that based on the dog’s behavior, it was clear that it was “neither injured, nor dangerous, nor diseased, nor incapacitated.”
According to the suit, Seal “committed the felony of Animal Abuse” for intentionally killing the dog and letting it suffer for 8 minutes after shooting it the first time.
The suit also alleges that Stoddard County has “an unwritten policy, pattern, and practice of regularly killing dogs and disposing of them.”
The Pennington family’s attorney, Russ Oliver, tells Riverfront Times, “It’s absolutely unconscionable.”
Oliver also reveals that the family is suing for $5 million “to make sure that nobody else’s dog is executed in a remote area and thrown in a ditch by people who are funded with our taxpayer dollars.”
Connie
says:I would have sued him and his boss. I sure hope they win their case!
Del
says:What a low life coward POS!!!
This garbage of a human deserves nothing less than the same as he did to this precious dog. WTF!!??
How cruel, heartless and evil!
I HOPE YOU NEVER HAVE ANOTHER GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP AS LONG AS YOUR GARBAGE ARSE STILL BREATHS!!!
I HOPE WHAT YOU DID TO PARKER HAUNTS YOU DAY AND NIGHT FOR AS LONG AS YOUR POS ARSE BREATHS!!!
I HOPE KARMA COMES BACK TO YOU 10 FOLD YOU POS!!
I ALSO HOPE YOU HAVE NIGHTMARES EVERY TIME YOU FALL ASLEEP FOR THE REST OF YOUR POS ARSE BREATHS ON THIS PLANET!!!
Monika
says:Should shoot him and throw him in a ditch!!!!
Chris
says:I am not for the police on this one but have any of you realize he was just taking orders. I believe the higher up is more the problem. They need to clean house and change several policies. There is a special place in h@!! For all those sickos who hurt babies and animals.
Barb
says:As we all know, those who would abuse a defenseless animal WILL abuse a defenseless child. How long before this sub-human in uniform rapes and/or murders a child. Murderous person on a power trip – and he’s given a weapon. If the sheriff doesn’t fire him, time for a new sheriff.
Marion Mercier
says:A family dog is just like one of their children. It’s been proven that dogs have the intelligence level of a 2-3 year child and the ability to love as people love each other. They are family members, not just animals! That officer shot a family member. What a monster! Fire him!!!
Paula Hinson
says:This officer should be fired immediately. This is one of the most horrific stories I’ve ever read! I sincerely hope the family wins this law suit!
Michelle
says:SERVE AND PROTECT MY ASS..THESE ARE MURDERERS..ILL SIGN ANYTHING SO THESE MORONS PAY UP FOR KILLING DEFENDLESS LIVING BEINGS..THESE DISPICABLES ARE MURDERERS IN UNIFORMS AND CARRY BADGES!!..MURDERERS!!
Cherie
says:It’s truly hard to understand how someone could be so cruel to someone’s beloved pet. Especially a Police Officer. Who has been hired to protect and serve the people who pay his wages. Its sickening. He needs to be reprimanded. Then Fired. He has no compassion for animals or the humans who loved this dog as one of their children. One cannot express how devastating this tragedy is to this family and even the readers of this article.
L Miller
says:This cruel person is supposed to protect? Hope he’s off the force!