Expert: Lee Meyer - 11/22/2009

Question
Today I received a call from my husband saying the our dog had been shot and killed. When I asked him what happened I was told that there was a dispute at our next door neighbors home in which the had called the police. Our neighbor and their (adult) granddaughter had an altercation and she left out of the house , she then came next door to my home and asked my husband if she could use his lighter he did, and he went back inside with our children. About fifteen minutes later the police had arrived at our neighbors home and one of the officers walked across the yard to our home and asked my husband questions about their granddaughter he answered the officers questions, in which it was said that the officer was upset that my husband would not let him into our home and I agree that I did not want them entering my home unless i was there. After my husband closed the door he noticed that the officer started to walk around to the back of my home where my dog was and he had been let off of his chain earlier, after the officer had found the next door neighbors granddaughter they walked back in front of my home and my dog had barked and the officer turned around and shot him one time and within minutes my dog had died in front of my home. This officer claimed my dog had bit him and when my husband told him that it was our dog and that he did not bite you nor try to attack you his response was " your eyes must not have seen anything..." what he did was cruel and unnecessary I called twice to the sheriffs office to see what happen and why he would do something so cruel and he has not returned my calls. If there is anything that I can do to help make sense of this please let me know.

Answer
Hi,

I am sorry to hear your dog was shot.

Probably the best thing to do is to get any reports related to this from the sheriff, including the deputy involved, etc. and get to a good civil rights attorney in your area.  Perhaps someone who specializes in cases involving animals and/or abuse of police authority.  I would also spend a good amount of time with your husband writing down all the details of everything that happened.  Let it sit a couple days.  Then go back and fill it in and make any additions or corrections because you will remember things more clearly a few days after the event because you are out of the high stress/adrenaline immediacy of it.

Then go over this with your attorney.  The only way you can get any recompense is through the courts.

Again I am sorry for your loss.