Court Rules Police Officers Can Legally Execute Your Dog if It Does Anything But Sit Silently

by pawbuzz on in Dogs 701

The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit concluded Monday that police officers are justified in killing citizens pets; even if those animals are not attacking or attempting to attack them.

Judges MOORE and CLAY (Circuit Judges), and HOOD (District Judge) heard an appeal from the plaintiffs Mark and Cheryl Brown, of Battle Creek, Michigan.

The Browns filed a lawsuit against the BATTLE CREEK Police Department; the City of Battle Creek, and police officers Jeffrey Case, Christof Klein, and Damon Young; for the death of their beloved dogs at the hands of sadistic cops.

The incident occurred on April 17th, 2013, when police were attempting to execute a search warrant on the home where the Browns were living because a police informant reported another man, Vincent Jones was distributing heroin, cocaine, and marijuana from the residence.

Jones was apprehended before police arrived on the scene.

Mark Brown, who was not a suspect in the search; had gone home on his lunch break to let out his two pit bulls. After doing so, he locked the door and headed back to work when police arrived and detained him.

He told them he had a key, and that they didn’t need to destroy the front door to gain entry into the home. But destroy it they did.

The Browns dispute the claims by police that the dogs were barking.

Mark Brown even testified the smaller of the two dogs had “never barked a day in her life.” Officer Klein said the larger dog was barking and “lunged” at him, but later admitted the pet “had only moved a few inches.”

Despite there being no attack, Klein fired a round at the dog. Both dogs ran away from the officers to the basement, obviously fleeing in fear.

There, the two dogs were shot and killed by the officers who felt that they could not properly clear the room and effectively execute the search warrant on the home, explaining they “did not feel [the officers] could safely clear the basement with those dogs down there.”

Going further, the officers stated the “basement was loaded.

You’ve gotta look under beds, you’ve gotta do everything, and [the dogs] basically prevented us from doing that, and they were protecting that basement.” Klein testified the smaller pit bull was “just standing there” when it was shot and killed.

In spite of these sadistic admissions, the appellate court ruled in favor of the officers; the police department, and the other defendants. They agreed with the lower court ruling that the police officers were covered under “doctrine of qualified immunity”; and were therefore not liable for compensating the plaintiffs in the case.

SEE ALSO: A police dog was shot while chasing a suspect — now his partner sees him again

The precedent has now been set. Cops can legally kill your dogs for the sole act of being a dog. If your dog moves, it is dead, if he barks, it is dead. If your dog does anything but sit silently in the other room, it is dead.

However, as the above case illustrates, even if they are silent in the other room, police can still kill them; just to make their search for arbitrary substances deemed illegal by the state — that much easier.



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701 thoughts on “Court Rules Police Officers Can Legally Execute Your Dog if It Does Anything But Sit Silently”

  3. Marc Svendsen

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    If that is the case, I will never let an officer into my home without a warrant. My black lab is a barker but would only lick an intruder (not a good watch dog if somebody would get in). I’ve gone out of my way to be cooperative and when needed, assist officers. That is now over when it comes to my residence.

  9. Trudy West

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    Where is our freedom?? US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit can take the blame for our society hating the law and the police force. This is an excuse for heartless evil scum in a police uniform to show their hate and their power. What an inhumane and worthless law to pass – do they not have any more important cases to foul up?

  14. Steven Scott

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    Problem is half the time this kind of thing happens when the owner isn’t even home. Or they just bust into the wrong house and start shooting before the people in the house can even react.

  18. Pat Stephens

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    Ridiculous! Then they should never be allowed to use canines at work..and just saying…if I saw ANYONE shoot my dog..they should be prepared …I will make them wish they’d been the dog.

  21. Irina Stegner

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    Unbelievable! The two judges should resign! Dogs are our protectors…they bark to let us know something is up! I would rather have a dog than a gun! My neighbor tells me that when my dog barks, she looks out! Shame on the three judges to allow police to kill a dog for just barking! Wait till you stand before God & explain your vote! He created these creatures for us to take care!

  24. John Burke

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    what’s this world coming to? dogs naturally protect their owners & property. we have the right to bear arms & protect ourselves, if somone(?) is attacking me on my property, then I have the right to protect myself, NO MATTER WHO IT IS, if I feel threatened

  31. Dane Volyn

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    Just another reason why people either fear them or hate them, cops I mean. There is no reason to kill a defenseless animal unless your life is in danger. Any decent human being knows that, this law sounds like something from$#%&!@*Germany.

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