Doggycide in Richland, Mississippi

Rosco

Same story as always: Cops claim they put down an aggressive and dangerous dog while the owner and others maintain they carelessly slaughtered an innocent and cowering family pet. The Clarion-Ledger reports:

RICHLAND — Controversy swirls around whether a Richland police officer was justified in shooting a family pet after receiving a complaint about a vicious dog.

Police were called to Richland East Circle when a dog allegedly growled and showed his teeth to some neighbors Wednesday night, Police Chief Russel James.

An officer shot the dog after it became aggressive and rushed several officers when its owner stepped outside his home around 8:40 p.m.

"The dog posed a serious threat," James said.

But John Harrison, the dog's owner, and his son, Adam, tell a different story about Rosco. They say the 4-year-old German shepherd was under their carport waiting to come inside when officers arrived at their home.

Adam Harrison said Rosco was cowering in the corner by the door with his ears back when he looked outside.

"When his ears were down, that meant he was scared," Adam Harrison said.

He said as he opened the door, it hit Rosco causing the dog to bolt toward the officers, who had spotlights and guns aimed at the dog.

"It looked like they brought out the SWAT team to take down a bear," he said.

By the time he reached the edge of the carport, Adam Harrison said the dog was about 10 feet away from police and they fired.

John Harrison pointed out that his son was in the line of fire, as were two other people sitting inside the house.

Adam Harrison said he took the dog into the kitchen and attempted to stop the bleeding, then repeatedly asked officers to move their cars so he could take Rosco to a veterinarian.

At one point, he said one of the officers said to him, "We can drag him back outside and put another bullet in his head and end this s---."

When the officer that shot the dog wanted to go and retrieve the animal control vehicle, Adam Harrison said the same officer asked why he wanted to get blood all over the new truck.

Animal control arrived about 45 minutes after the shooting, the Harrisons said.

Rosco died en route, police said. But Adam Harrison said his dog was dead in the kitchen.

As usual, neighbors contend that Rosco was a sweet-tempered animal who loved to play and only rarely got into any sort of mischief and never displayed any real aggression. Yet, momentary fear in the face of a bunch of intruders suddenly appearing on his turf was evidently enough to warrant his execution.

Police need better training ASAP. And officers like the heartless bastard mentioned above need to be fired, or at the very least, receive a fucking decency transplant.

(via The Agitator)

Tags: Rosco • German shepherds • John Harrison • Adam Harrison