Opinion: Idaho Cop That Shot Dog A Lesson In Poor Pet Handling
An investigation into a February 23 incident in which a Nampa police officer shot a dog after responding to a noise complaint will no doubt weigh heavily on the cop's body camera footage.
A Nampa police officer on Sunday responded to a home in a South Fremont Street neighborhood, and was greeted at the door by a woman with two barking dogs, as can be seen in the February 24, 2020, upload to YouTube. The door was made of glass, so the dogs were able to see the officer standing in the front walkway, and naturally went into protection mode.
Now, before anyone accuses me of being anti-dog, hear me out. I am a dog owner myself, but what separates me from so many people I see on just about a daily basis, is that I am a responsible one; one who looks out for other's safety.
When the doorbell rings at my house, I make sure my animal is contained--whether that means having a family member hold her, or simply moving her into a bedroom--period. It doesn't take much to grab a dog by its collar and move it to a location where it doesn't have the opportunity to charge at someone, or bark aggressively in somebody's face.
The video clearly shows one of the dogs (and these aren't Chihuahuas) pushing the door open, and charging in the direction of the police officer. Using some sort of reasoning that your pet just wanted to show affection toward a stranger is complete nonsense. That might be true if we're talking about a person the animals are familiar with, but to allow your dog(s) to charge at anybody, especially a police officer, is negligent behavior by the dog owner or handler.
I had a dog charge into the street one time as I was walking with my wife, pushing our one-year-old in a stroller. The dog got to within two to three feet of our stroller and attempted to jump. I had no choice but to kick it, in an act of self-defense. Dogs should be protective of homes, but their owners should prevent them from charging at someone standing at the doorstep, or walking through the neighborhood.
What if the knock at your door is from a girl scout, or a child trying to retrieve a ball from your property. This officer was clearly doing his job, and should definitely not be punished for his actions.
Thankfully, it appears the dog will be alright, according to details shared at eastidahonews.com.