Dog’s shooting death leads to campaign
Maybe it’s because he was a golden retriever, as opposed to a pit bull. Maybe it’s because he was 12-years-old and arthritic. Maybe it’s because his owner is a lawyer.
In any case, when it comes to the seventh dog shot and killed by St. Petersburg police officers this year, the public anger is not subsiding.
Boomer’s death is still echoing — and doing so well beyond Florida.
Between his vocal owner, a Facebook page called “Boomer’s Voice,” and a petition at Change.org that has drawn more than 4,000 signatures, Boomer’s death has already gotten more attention than the previous six dogs that were shot, combined, the St. Petersburg Times reports.
Roy Glass, a prominent personal injury lawyer, says he wants the police to know how much the dog’s violent death hurt his family. He wants the agency to admit the officer was wrong, and he wants police to change how they deal with dogs.
“What I want is for police to not be so trigger-happy in blowing away an obvious family pet,” he said.
Boomer escaped from his fenced yard Oct. 1 after a worker removed some wire that kept the dog from digging his way out. That night, he approached a woman walking her dog. The woman says he growled and snapped at her when she tried to check his tags.
When the woman called police, officers Misty Swanson and Michelle Fotovat responded. According to their police report, the dog was sociable at first, but bared his teeth when Swanson reached for the dog’s tags.
“Officer Swanson was about two feet from the dog when I observed her pull out her gun and fire one shot at the clearly now vicious dog,” Fotovat wrote in the police report.
Glass says — despite the dog’s tags — police never called him. On Oct. 2, he reported his dog missing. On Oct. 3, the SPCA called to tell him what happened to Boomer.
When Glass and his wife, Lauren, started hearing from other residents whose dogs had been shot and killed by police, they started a campaign.
They began a Boomer’s Voice Facebook page, featuring a photo of the dead and bloody Boomer, which already has over 2,500 followers. A California animal activist started a petition on Change.org calling for St. Pete’s officers to be better trained to handle animals.
“When a police officer’s first line of defense in restraining an animal is to reach for a weapon, it is sending the wrong message to the community that they swore to uphold and protect,” the petition says. “The ‘uncooperative animal’ that the police officer may kill could be someone’s senior pet who could be afraid, deaf, or in pain and not able to respond to the officer’s request.”
Boomer’s shooting is under investigation by the Police Department’s internal affairs division, and police aren’t commenting until the investigation is completed.
A police spokesman did point out that, after a September 2010 shooting that killed two leashed dogs, all officers were ordered to go through two hours of training with the SPCA.
Boomer’s owner believes that’s not enough. Glass wants to see officers undergo more extensive training, and lawmakers rewrite existing laws that define pets as property.
“As the law stands, our pets are nothing but chattel,” he said. “They’re personal property, and if somebody violates them, or abuses or maims or kills (them), you’re not entitled to any compensatory damages other than value of the dog. That’s so antiquated these days.”
Posted by jwoestendiek November 10th, 2011 under Muttsblog, videos.
Tags: attorney, boomer, boomers voice, campaign, change.org, death, facebook, florida, golden retriever, killed, laws, lawyer, officers, petition, police, property, roy glass, shot, st. petersburg, training, trigger-happy
Comments
Comment from smoketoomuch
Time November 10, 2011 at 11:31 am
That is one of the saddest and most disturbing doggie photos I have ever seen.I simply cannot fathom how anyone could shoot any dog (not least a Golden) for the offenses mentioned in the article. These two cops ned to be removed from the force immediately.
Comment from denise
Time November 10, 2011 at 3:54 pm
Ignorance…this is nothing but a sign of the supreme ignorance of a department that is supposed to “protect and serve.” I hope the owner takes this all the way and the police dept is held accountable so that the dog’s death is not ignored like the PREVIOUS 6!
Comment from denise
Time November 10, 2011 at 4:25 pm
Boomer’s Parents – good for you for taking a stand against this kind of unnecessary violence. The police work for us and take an oath to protect and serve – not pull their guns on a whim with no thought of the consequences. Was the dog attacking? hanging on to someone by his teeth? Even if he was, shooting him is so extreme it makes me wonder what kind of people they have working in that police dept. None that I would want in my town. What’s next? a kid running from a store who might have stolen something? Sure, Barney Fife might be a trigger-happy idiot, but the Sheriff was smart enough not to let Barney have any bullets. If you want that kind of ignorance in your police dept then sit back and do nothing. If you want police officers who use good judgement, have respect for all life, and are able to handle situations with skill and intelligence and without having to pull out the big gun to show how tough they are, then you have to support Boomer’s Voice. If you don’t think this needs to be investigated and the people responsible held accountable then you deserve whatever idiot that the police dept decides to put out on the street. Shooting a pet is outrageous. I’m disgusted by this kind of ignorance. Rest in peace, Boomer. I hope your death is not lost on your city and will in the end bring about change that will protect dogs and people everywhere.
Comment from KateH
Time November 10, 2011 at 8:22 pm
So either the two hours of training is inadequate or the officers didn’t give a crap about whatever they were supposed to have learned – or both. Or were they trying to show that they could be just as ‘tough’ as any of the male officers who had shot other dogs in St. Pete? No matter the reason, it sounds like the entire department needs a kick in the ass. Guns are for life-or-death situations. Cops who are that terrified for their lives by an old, growly dog need to ride a damn desk at the impound lot or evidence locker.
Comment from Kari
Time November 11, 2011 at 1:17 pm
I have been in this same situation my 7 yr old lab was shot, froma gun happy cop. She was transferred one month later but I never got Justice I fought for the same thing I sued the Woodland Police department and the City for 6 yrs to try and change the training of the officers with family pets. They said they would cahnge it in a course that Californaia officers take but I have seen absolutly no evidence that they have. It was horrifying for me and my family the worst tragedy I have EVER been through. Im so sorry you too have to go through this.
Comment from AP
Time November 11, 2011 at 7:14 pm
The St. Petersburg police should be embarrassed at such low level professionalism, skill and lack of humanity on their force. Time for an upgrade, you let a lot of people down.
Comment from Brenda
Time November 12, 2011 at 11:47 am
Who took the picture of the dead dog?
Comment from jwoestendiek
Time November 12, 2011 at 1:18 pm
I’m assuming it was Boomer’s owner, Roy Glass, who took it. You can find it and other photos — including the gun used to kill Boomer — on the Facebook page link provided in the article.
John / ohmidog!
Comment from Michael Blott
Time November 26, 2011 at 10:37 pm
Sadly the Police department declared it a justifiable shooting but will outfit the patrol cars with catch poles and will dispatch patrol cars only if humans are in danger. You didn’t think the police union with let them do justice did you?
Comment from smoketoomuch
Time November 10, 2011 at 9:49 am
Petition signed.