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My Pet World: Controversy roils over dog shot by Chicago police

By Steve Dale, Tribune Media Services on

As for the officer who shot at Colonel, Al, his wife, Barbara, and Morgan said (and witnesses confirmed in TV reports) that he calmly finished writing the ticket, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

Phillips, who owns World Gym locations in the Chicago area, told me, "Clearly, the parking ticket was a higher priority for this officer. What kind of person does this?"

"I once lived with a Chicago cop, and they are taught that even when they're under fire, not to shoot in busy neighborhoods, unless they absolutely must," Morgan told me. "It was a nice day, and people were everywhere. Right where Colonel was when he was shot, a woman was walking down the street with her dog pushing a baby stroller. Her baby might have been hit. It's only a stroke of luck that a bullet didn't hit anyone."

This story made the news, which apparently the police weren't too thrilled about. Two days after the shooting, a sergeant and a lieutenant from the Chicago Police Department showed up at the Phillips' home.

"I thought they were sending honchos over to apologize," Barbara told me.

Instead, Al and Barbara said, the police questioned why the family had gone to the media, and insisted that the officer who shot at their dog is a "good man." When Al and Barbara were clearly unwilling to promise "no more media," they were issued a ticket for Colonel being off-leash two days prior.

At first, the City denied this visit ever took place, however, a TV news crew happened to be there and caught it on tape. Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy weighed in with these comments on Fox TV News:

"Unfortunately, officers get bit by dogs frequently. We don't have to wait to get bit by a dog, we don't have to wait to get shot at before we take steps to protect ourselves. We have to shoot dogs frequently in the city. There's a story about last night where we made a robbery arrest and somebody released a pit bull and attacked the officer and had to be shot."

"I don't even know how to respond to that statement," Al Phillips told me. "It's one thing when police are threatened by a dog; it's another to shoot an innocent puppy."

 

The Phillips' have sued the city and police officer for "in excess of $50,000."

"What we really want," Al said, "Is for the officer (who shot at Colonel) to be taken off the streets and to get help. And for a change of attitude, perhaps through mandated training, so this never happens again."

According to Ledy VanKavage, senior legislative analyst at Best Friends Animal Society, "Incidents like this happen all the time across the country, where innocent dogs are shot by police. This ranges from officers approaching the wrong house with a warrant and shooting a dog, to shooting a lost 12-year-old Golden Retriever who wasn't threatening anyone. It's amazing. All states should mandate training and these actions should not be deemed acceptable."

As for the Chicago police side of the story, a spokesperson told me they had nothing more to add.

After all, what more can they say? Barbara Phillips noted, "How about, 'I'm sorry that I shot your puppy'?"

Of course, Colonel should never have been shot at in the first place, assuming all witness accounts of the incident are accurate. Aside from training to help police better recognize canine body language, and so officers don't instantly resort to lethal force, perhaps understanding why dogs are so often a target would also be helpful. Dogs may legally be property, but emotionally they are beloved members of our families.

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Steve Dale welcomes questions/comments from readers. Although he can't answer all of them individually, he'll answer those of general interest in his column Send e-mail to PETWORLD(at)STEVE DALE.TV. Include your name, city and state. Steve's website is www.stevedalepetworld.com; he also hosts the nationally syndicated "Steve Dale's Pet World" and "The Pet Minute." He's also a contributing editor to USA Weekend.


(c) 2012 DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

 

 

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