Within the last few weeks, we've had a near daily rash of fatal
dog-shootings. There is the inevitable backlash, the outrage, the fury--that an armed, trained, intelligent human ... would be so "extreme". Would
respond with "excessive" force.
"Surely there must be another way!"
"Shooting a dog, nonetheless family dogs?? How
sadistic/lazy/cruel/other-negative-character-traits-here!! I mean, who
can't handle a dog, right? Throw it a steak or get over a fence or talk
real nice and sweet to it or rope it with a harness, or just kick it
away, right?"
The problem is... these 'common-sense'
assumptions saddle a breed with uncommon aggressive habits
and attack style. Brutal attacks by pit bull type dog breeds are a
daily occurrence. Every 12-14 days (some years more, some years less, but
the trend over the last 30 years is a steady incline...) they kill
another American--this doesn't count the fatalities occurring in the UK,
NSW, Brazil, etc.. Every six days someone loses a BODY PART to these
dogs--even if they were loved and spoiled family pets, raised from
puppy-hood and bonded over years and years of uneventful cohabitation.
Trying
to warn anyone about these crucial and life-altering differences
typically gets a person assaulted and threatened, and called a 'hater',
'racist', 'ignorant', among other ugly ad hominem toss-outs. This
onslaught of harassment is so steady and prolific that it often is
effective in silencing a truth-sayer.
Ergo, the majority
of the community plods on, oblivious to the danger roaming around on
four legs. But law enforcement knows. Their experience far out-classes
that of the average joe-schmoe, even those who claim to be animal
rescuers and the like. These men and women of the law regularly face
"when-things-go-wrong" scenarios. The average pet owners' experience is
tempered by the fact that their own sphere of exposure is relatively
small, and experience with crisis situations may be non-existent...
until it's too late.
I'm not claiming no police officer
has ever done wrong or exercised bad judgement... they're fallible and
human mortals like the rest of us. What they do have, though, is
training and experience with crisis situations in abundance. They must
follow protocol. That protocol is based on a precedent of history. That history shows
it is far too reckless to let a pit bull type dog roam at large--especially when it's aggressive. What these animals do to
people is not like the fearful, quick bite-and-release snap of an
ordinary domestic dog.
Additionally, law enforcement must act with
prevention in mind. Preservation of the peace. "Prevent "the deed." This breed is infamous
for sustaining attacks even after being beaten, gouged, stabbed, hit by a
car, tazed, maced, and even shot REPEATEDLY. It's important to keep in mind the damage that could be wrought upon
the officers or innocent bystanders.
It's important to keep in mind the
unique horrors these animals can visit upon a body with no warning, and
in seconds.
THIS is what the officer must keep in mind when making
that split-second decision on how to handle the animal;
(WARNING:
graphic and disturbing images below--these are included for educational
purposes only. These are a pictorial representation of the 'side
effects' of a pitbull attack, much like how manufacturers of
medicines and products are obligated to be responsible and must include
warning labels listing all known dangers--no matter how remote the
chances are.)
"Our
family has been touched by the love and prayer of our community when
they established this small make-shift memorial for Justin. Everyday my
daughter would go by the memorial on her way to school. As a cheerleader
for the school, she would each day say a prayer and give Justin a cheer
at the site of his gruesome death. This helped her cope with her grief."