Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Few stories hit people in the gut like a police officer shooting a family dog.
When The Trace recently highlighted the fatal LAPD shooting of a golden Saint Bernard doodle named Jameson, the reaction was predictable: outrage, heartbreak, and renewed accusations that police are too quick to pull the trigger.
It’s easy to understand why.
According to The Trace’s reporting, animal welfare groups and the Department of Justice have estimated that police shoot roughly 10,000 dogs each year: about 25 to 30 every day. The outlet also cites studies suggesting dog shootings account for a surprisingly large percentage of officer-involved firearm discharges in some agencies. Those numbers deserve attention.
But here’s where I’d like to hear from GunsAmerica readers.
Is this really a story about trigger-happy cops? Or is it also a story about irresponsible dog owners?
Because those aren’t mutually exclusive.
The Trace focuses heavily on officers who may misread canine behavior, and there are certainly examples where shootings appear difficult to justify. If an officer shoots a leashed Chihuahua, a dog behind a fence, or an animal that’s clearly retreating, that’s worth investigating. Better training should absolutely be part of the conversation.
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But there’s another side that often gets left out.
Every year, who knows how many police officers are bitten while responding to calls?
Cops don’t get to choose whether a home has one pet dog or five. They don’t know whether the barking Labrador is friendly or whether the loose Belgian Malinois has been trained to protect the property. They have only seconds to make decisions that pet owners have spent years understanding.
Every dog owner says the same thing.
“He’s friendly.” Usually they’re right. Sometimes they’re not.
And when you’re the one standing at the front door wearing a badge instead of holding a leash, that’s a pretty significant distinction.
Watch almost any body-camera footage involving a dog shooting and you’ll often hear officers yelling the same commands:
- “Get your dog!”
- “Grab your dog!”
- “Call your dog back!”
Sometimes the owner does. Sometimes they don’t. And, sometimes they can’t. Should that matter? I think it should.
Here’s another question.
If a homeowner negligently allows a dog to attack an officer, should that officer (or even the city) have the right to sue the owner for the injuries?
We routinely hear about lawsuits filed after officers shoot dogs. Taxpayers often foot the bill when settlements are reached. The Trace points to several recent cases where municipalities paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to resolve claims.
Fair enough. Now flip the situation.
If an unleashed dog seriously injures an officer, should taxpayers also absorb those medical costs? Or should negligent owners bear more responsibility?
I’m not sure we ask that question nearly enough. None of this excuses bad police work.
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Departments should invest in realistic canine encounter training. Officers should know how to read body language, use distance, employ less-lethal tools when practical, and avoid deadly force whenever it’s safely possible.
At the same time, dog ownership carries responsibilities too.
- If your dog doesn’t reliably respond to commands…
- If it routinely bolts through open doors…
- If it charges strangers…
- If you know visitors can’t safely approach your home…
Those are problems long before a police officer ever knocks.
The overwhelming majority of officers don’t wake up hoping to shoot someone’s pet. Likewise, the overwhelming majority of dog owners aren’t raising aggressive animals.
Which is exactly why these incidents are so difficult. There usually isn’t a villain wearing a black hat. There are frightened people, frightened dogs, split-second decisions, and heartbreaking outcomes.
So I’ll leave it to you.
Are cops shooting too many pet dogs? Should departments dramatically improve canine encounter training? Should negligent owners face greater legal consequences when their dogs attack officers?
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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I will say first that I think, yes, police absolutely shoot too many dogs, and there should be more/better training. I was a large city cop for 26 years. I spent several years responding to calls for service and about 11 years in a unit where we served search warrants several times a week. I was often 1st or second guy through the door. If you add it up, it was easily over 1000 semi-hostile dog encounters and I never has to shoot a single dog. I was close a few times, but mostly they are just scared and/or doing their job to protect their home. But I have never feared dogs and am confident in dealing with them.
Meanwhile I know one officer that shot 5 dog in 4 years. That was fear and a lack of training because I think only one was justified imho. We did have our K9s come in and meet officers in line ups, so they were comfortable around dogs trained to attack. We did have training on dog behaviors and body postures to understand if they are scared, mad, happy, etc. But it was a three hour mandatory powerpoint, which does not give any application or experience. It was inadequate and there should have been better training. More it not necessarily better, but quality training should be occurring.
Lastly, I think that each case has to be taken individually. I don’t think you can say universally that dog owners should face anything more than the loss of the dog. If they trained it to be aggressive/violent, and didn’t properly restrain it, then yes there should be legal consequences. Otherswise I don’t think so.
having your dog respond to a stranger’s commands seems like a really bad ide
If only mail carriers could be armed!
When it comes to someone killing dogs, John Wick was far too kind.
Personally I have no problem with police shooting dogs as the situation requires, and there are plenty of those which arise. In the aftermath everyone wants to think of the owner and the dog are saints who were just trying to hand out soup to the hungry when, in fact, animals are either vicious by training or merely aggressive by nature and are unsecured. You haven’t lived until you have seen someone mauled by a dog, even if non-fatally, trust me, it is a sight to behold. I recall an instance many years ago where a neighbor, his friend, and their small Weiner dog (leashed) were walking on the public street in their community when a dog emerged from one of the yards and came after them, maybe after the Weiner dog, but whatever, well the neighbor pulled his handgun and fatally shot the aggressive dog. Of course the police were summoned and all that but no charges were ever brought, it is a pretty clear situation.
In my own experience my family had just moved into a new home circa 2001, which was fenced, and let our dog (a sheltie) out into the backyard to get acclimated even as I was unpacking some things. Some friends were helping and one of the wives (pregnant) was in the backyard too. We literally did not know anyone and this pit bull from next door literally climbed the fence, which I could not believe a dog could climb a chain link fence but it happened, and came after the dog and even the pregnant woman as she tried to scoop up the dog. I grabbed the literally only readily available instrument amongst boxes and such, my Romanian SAR-1, and I can assure you, you put enough 7.62 into a crazy dog, you will get the job done, just keep shooting. No misses by the way. I dragged the remains to the neighbors door and left it there. Of course I was the bad guy but there were too many witnesses and too good a story for the police to say anything other than I killed a dog with an AK in my own back yard. They might not have liked the method but they couldn’t fault the act. No, they did not confiscate my rifle.
The police are like a box of chocolates…
… They’ll kill your dog.
Only if your dog tries to eat them. Sometimes yeah I guess you’re right.
Yea bullshit
Bullshit, there’s plenty of bodycam and security cams showing LEO’s killing friendly pets or actually calling them so they can shoot them.
Wear a plant on your person for the rest of your life for being a waste of oxygen
I love the plant thing that made me smile, but I do work for a living not just sit on my ass and breathe. Like much of the able bodies that can but don’t that I’m sure you stick up for and waste all our tax money. However we are going to take and put all the cops in the same category. That seems like what a lot of the government does to all the gun owners. There are good and bad to both. I’m sure some do some shady shit but others are real good officers and the last thing they need is training for screwing around with dogs.
My bet is irresponsible dog owners. As a letter carrier for many years, I ve seen more households with out of control dogs and owners that don’t bother to have them trained. They always say ‘he’s friendly, he doesn’t bite. The fact is, all dogs have teeth and they can all bite! The owners should be held liable for attacks on police officers, letter carriers or anyone else as well as all injuries sustained. The owners are the real problem, not the dogs.
They should shoot Muslims instead of dogs. Muslims are more violent.
Get wrecked
You need to be locked up you are a danger to everyone besides American Muslims.
Hopefully the ATF or FBI is monitoring this forum so they can pick up nut cases like you Herr Hauptman.
I’m just not with most of you on this subject. Cops have a hard enough time dealing with the most of the time CRIMINALS that the last thing on their mind is someone’s aggressive animal. Sometimes they are scared or just being protective but put your damn dog up if you see it is the cops. I’m not a cop but I am a different kind of public servant and I have dealt with many dogs that are for lack of better terms mean as shit. In my experience most of it is from lack of the person properly training and giving what should be a loving animal. The attention it needs. I haven’t killed any yet but I have got a bar out of my work truck and knocked the hell out of them. And most people are crying sue them sue the city sue and get what ever you can. FUCK THAT. And forget all of you that are talking suing. Is that how you feel better by ruining someone else’s life. Sorry guys it might not always be the best, but you have a persons life and wellbeing compared to an animal. My dog isn’t on a leash she doesn’t wonder off doesn’t get in to anything because she has been trained to listen. So I would say owner is at fault.
If the owner cannot control the dog, which is in most cases, then there are consequences. A permissive society is not just for children, it is extreme for dog owners. Dog charges person and the owner says he won’t bite. Yeah right.
It would be informative to know what breed of dogs are involved in these incidents.
Are the breeds really that important though? Can’t a chihuahua be as aggressive or more than a German shepherd?
Perhaps, but most people with legs over 6 inches long can drop kick a chihuahua across the street, eliminating the need for using firearms. Not so much with German Shepards.
I’m not a cop so I can’t address the specifics of a given situation. HOWEVER, if everyone is so cotton-pickin concerned about the dog/dogs getting shot, I submit that dispatch/911 asks if there is a dog on the premises and then send one of the “specially” trained cops that can deal with the damn dog. You folks are so fond of suggesting more training, how about treating it as a special training that an individual officer can receive just for such situation.
I can assure you if I was a cop (even if I wasn’t) and some pos dog bared its fangs, growled and acted aggressive toward me, it would be a DEAD dog!
Well, thank God you are not a cop.
You seem to be the problem and not the solution.
Because ur a weak pussy
Well, that may be but at least I don’t display my lack of intelligence like you do with your inability to express a thought without resorting to inane comments and the inability to actually spell words. In other words, your complete and total lack of command of the English language in a discussion form is utterly profound.
I agree Jose.
I think it’s pure ignorance. I had had sheriffs deputy tell me to my face “ man I hate dogs, like I shoot them all the time, but I really like your service dog”.
That’s enough for me to raise some ears on this issue
I would question the 10,000 dogs shot every year. Trace reporting leans left, and the un-named animal welfare groups will slant their facts.
This article suggests a strawman of the officer having to shoot a dog they perceive as a possible threat. I suggest the dog is probably confused and upset with everything going on and might be exhibiting protective behaviors for its family. The dog is confused and worried. So it gets shot? Is that the best we can do? We might need better tools and we certainly need better training. The responding officers arrive at a scene needing to defuse things and start an examination. They see a family pet as an unknown and something easy to swat down to reduce the noise level and defuse the site. No consequences for the officers. Terrible consequences for the family and its pet.
Yep. Shoot the dog.
As a person who trained, Schutzhund, Police & Protection Dogs, this is a difficult question to answer.
As a dog owner who has several lick you to death German Shepherds running around my horse farm, I would say any cop who shot one of my dogs, might be in deep trouble! Take that how you will….
Again, the flip side is, if they felt I was in danger, they would probably act aggressive or if it got serious, might bite. (none of them are protection trained – just pets)
So, it’s quite a quandary.
I was also a Police Officer & had occasion to face dogs that were barking & semi aggressive, but since I knew dogs, I was able to get it under control & had them quite settled & friendly. Others without my background might accidentally provoke them.
It’s a real problem, but they need to learn about dogs & not just shoot them. Like I said, it could be bad for them – in many ways!
Go for it.
MOST TIMES THE POLICE SHOULD JUST BACK OFF. UNLESS THERE IS A IMMINENT THREAT THEY CAN COME BACK LATER.
Irresponsibility is the cause of most of society’s problems today.
Agree. The police have been a wildly irresponsibly blot on society in many situations
About 15 years ago, before I added a storm door and before ring cameras, I closed my front door and left for work like any other day, leaving my adult male and female chocolate labs in the house. I didn’t know it at the time, but I did not close the door all the way and when a cold front came through with gusty winds it blew open my door. An hour into work I get a call from ADT and the police department about an alarm at my house. I rush back, but luckily everything was alright. My female dog ran around and a neighbor caught her, my male dog was home as always. And nothing wrong with my home. All good, right? Later I talked with my neighbor across the street who told me that the first officer who arrived on site approached the house, and my male dog was on the porch staring him down. He unbuckled his firearm and started deploying it when a second officer arrived and told the first to stop. They approached cautiously but luckily my male dog isn’t overly aggressive. He would growl at strangers but wasn’t a barker and not a charger. The officers were able to corral him in a kennel I had available and cleared the house. I believe if it wasn’t for the actions of that second officer, I would have lost my male dog that day, all because of my mistake and the wind blowing open the door. I believe that second officer was either more experienced, great with dogs, or less susceptible to fear. I believe that first officer could have used more training.
Lick that boot.
There must be a better understanding of pet behavior. Dogs are very territorial pack animals. They will agressively defend their territory and their pack, in other words, the family. These are commendable traits in an animal. By expecting otherwise, you are expecting them to do something that is not their nature, like expecting humans to fly. Cops, on the other hand, can often be mismanaged. They can often be overly emotional, acting on their emotion, and can often feel superior, like the gang that rules everything. Now this is not saying all cops, and all dogs. But a cop should approach a situation involving a dog with the foregoing in mind, assuming that the dog will defend its territory, and tell the people to restrain their dog. If that doesn’t happen, call animal control, who can sedate and capture it, then hold the owners responsible for non-compliance.
Pepper spray, stun guns, tazers… Cops have an arsenal of non lethals they can use.
I don’t care if you don’t like dogs they’re a member of the family whose space you’re invading. If you shoot a dog it should result in a murder trial just as if you shot a kid. Let the courts decide if you’re innocent or guilty.
If you’re entering into a fenced yard or into an area that’s clearly marked no trespassing – without a warrant – you get what you get. If you shoot my dogs while on my property you should expect an in kind response from me.
Let’s be honest, most cops aren’t that bright and they need to have more training in all areas – before – they’re allowed to carry a firearm.
The guy who wrote this article is obviously biased towards cops that shoot dogs and just as obvious – doesn’t have dogs.
The author is right that some instances of police shooting a pet are justified or at least more justified than media reports would have us believe. On the other hand, some are not. There is an old saying that “If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.” For many police officers, the only tool that they have serious training to use is the gun. Relatively recent additions of “deescalation” training and “less lethal” tools don’t come close to the level of training-based reliance that officers have on the gun as their first solution to any perceived threat. With only a fraction of a second to act, the officer will fall back on their training and shoot the threat.
Several years ago I had an officer very nearly shoot a toy stuffed leopard that my daughter had left lying on the hood of my car – there is no objective way that toy could have been realistically mistaken for a live animal (a bit too large for a house cat and we don’t have lynx or bob cats in the suburb where I live) and the stuffed toy certainly wasn’t coming at the officer but the officer was simply surprised and instantly responded with his gun.
Add in the fact that “Qualified Immunity” makes shoot-first-think-later the safest choice for officers.
Add in the fact that some people (including some officers) are afraid of dogs.
Add in the fact that pet dogs DO recognize the tension in a room and may see the stranger as a threat to their humans.
The ideal answer is for pet owners to keep their animals away from law enforcement officers, regardless of the situation — but that isn’t always possible.
Yes, most dogs are friendly but until you respond to a violent/emergency situation going on you won’t understand how it happens. Not defending the shootings of dogs in every case but add the stress in the household, the sirens, the adrenaline pumping in everyone involved, it is easy to Monday morning quarterback every pet shooting.
Additionally, some people are terrified of dogs because they are. Once someone has been bitten they are generally much more likely to over react.
I would like to see the data on how many LEOs are bitten each year. This information could be very enlightening.
I THINK THE COPS GET OFF ON SHOOTING THE DOGS!!! VERY, VERY RECKLESS BEHAVIOR!!!!! IF THE DOG DOESN’T ATTACK/BITE AND THE OFFICER SHOOTS THE DOG, THE CITY SHOULD BE SUED TO DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Most people, including LEO’s don’t understand dog behavior. I saw a video a few years back where a cop was called to check out a homeless woman who appeared to be having a medical episode. When the officer arrived her dog was with her and the bodycam footage showed the dog approaching the officer in a very friendly manner. The officer pulled his weapon, discharged it, missing the dog, and killing the woman who may have been having a medical episode. So much to unpack with that incident. Cops are way too quick to dispatch a dog in most cases.
Its your dog. Deal with it. I am tired of dogs becoming people. Dogs are NOT people. People are not dogs. Simple. Yet society puts up everyday with dogs in shopping carts or jumping up on people, or being carried swaddled like a baby. Have children, not dogs. Its more rewarding.
So what are you saying? I pointed out the fact that this particular officer was too quick to dispatch a dog, got too excited and killed the dog’s owner instead. A little bit of a problem there wouldn’t you say?
Many children grow up and develop drug habits and loot their own loving family or kill one or both parents to gain a financial wind fall. Never heard of any dog being as treacherous.
My dogs are family members no different than my human kids. You hurt my kid, i hurt you. You kill my kid i kill you. Cop or no cop. I dont care who you are.
You’re the problem Dogs are not children. Period. I don’t care how much you claim to love them. Feel froggy, make the leap. Talk tough why don’t you.
I’m with you all the way Ordinary Joe.
Just go on you tube and see for yourself!!
Many times over the dogs are just being friendly and the cops shoot them..
There is one in Loveland ,CO.
that is heartbreaking.
Oh and cops sometimes don’t even need to shoot a dog to kill it.
Case in point in AZ where a family was speeding to get their dog to a vet.
Instead of the cop being sympathetic to why the family was speeding ,he delayed their trip and the dog passed away…
One more case involved a cop going to a home,finding the front door open goes into the home with no warrant or existential circumstances and shoots the family dog.
I suspect that you have answered your own question. There are differences in training both of police and dogs. At the same time, mail carriers do not carry firearms, but only pepper spray, and have far more dog encounters than police officers, and somehow manage to get through the day without getting torn to pieces. Perhaps there is something to be learned from them.
You are a hundred percent correct. Why are they not trained to use pepper spray for dogs, they would stop 90% of the shootings. Unless that animal is charging you teeth bared there should never be reason to shoot a poodle.
Pepper spray doesn’t always work. In fact, in my experience, it works MAYBE half the time.
Agreed! If you’re going into a criminal household then you certainly stand up better chance of running into a dog that’s meant to protect the criminals. But the vast majority of time I would have to say it’s a friendly dog doing his or her job and protecting the home. Maybe we need to get local mailman to start filing reports on aggressive dogs at households that are accessible to the police. It seems like a stretch but to me, killing a dog isn’t any different than killing a family member, so you have to be sure.
I would like to know if this statistic is increasing over the decades and the causes… Bad homeowner skills, bad cops or complete ignorance from both.
F*ck cops who shoot dogs. The dogs are only being dogs, protecting their territory and what’s theirs. They should have better training.
ATF standard tactic at Waco was to shoot the dogs during raids with no exceptions. The Waco shootout was triggered when ATF agents started to shoot the pet dogs locked in their pens.
Great point, and don’t forget that the shooting by the FBI at the Ruby Ridge raid on the Weaver family compound. The first target was the family dog and by US Marshalls and the killing of a 14-year-old lad, Samuel Weaver, with a shot in his back. Shortly afterwards FBI Sniper Lon Horiuchi shot and killed Vicki Weaver as she held a child.