Since two inmates from a federal jail in Chicago escaped last week, authorities have been tracking down various leads. Police in Hazel Crest, IL suspected one of the escapees might be hiding in a home next door to Chanette Weaver. They apparently searched the home early on December 24 and found nothing. Ms. Weaver had let her obedience trained dog Kobi out into her fenced backyard while police were at the neighbor’s house. Suddenly, Ms. Weaver received a knock on the door from police advising her Kobi was dead.
Someone had apparently tampered with the gate to Ms. Weaver’s backyard that morning, although police say it was not them. A police report indicates Kobi came onto the sidewalk and growled at the officers, one of whom shot him three times.
Ms. Weaver suspects the officers had opened the gate to her backyard that morning after coming up empty in their search for the fugitive next door. She suspects they failed to secure the gate properly. And she finds it hard to believe Kobi made the officers fear for their safety to the point where lethal force was required.
“What’s the protocol? I mean, to shoot a dog three times? What about mace? It just doesn’t make sense,” Weaver said.
Hazel Crest police gave Ms. Weaver the bad news about Kobi along with a ticket for having a loose dog with no tags. Kobi’s Christmas present was wrapped beneath the tree. Watch the video at the link to see a clip of the family singing Happy Birthday to Kobi in September. The family has retained the services of an attorney in the matter.
(Thank you Clarice for sending me this link.)
I wonder if police do this more prevalently in lower income areas?
nope.. http://www.dogmurderers.com/
although I do not agree with the title to this blog..it is a compendium of stories about police shooting dogs.. including one of my own breed.. who weighed less that 15 pounds..it it pretty frightening
I normally respect the police, but this sounds a whole lot like a cover-up for an armed idiot. Sure wish the owner had some recourse!
Add one more to the list.. This is so wrong..!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-for-the-Murder-of-our-Family-Pets/153738424764166..
I can picture it now. Frustrated cop has been outsmarted again by the fugitives so he takes out his rage on the neighbor’s dog. Sounds about right. Also I can’t find the link. Probably for the best. It would only make me sadder.
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/12/26/hazel-crest-cops-shoot-kill-dog-during-search-for-fugitive/
On Thu, Dec 27, 2012 at 11:25 AM, YesBiscuit!
I’m glad they’ve retained a lawyer. I hope they sue the pants off the department.
Good cops seem to be a rarity these days. I can only hope it’s just because the bad ones make the news and we don’t hear as much about all the good ones. Yes, I will choose to believe that. For my own sake.
In the meantime, I recommend that everyone put a good sturdy lock on their gate and a sign that says “dogs loose in yard” up.
front and back yard double fenced and padlocked three signs.. and i still worry.
The lawyer will do them no good.. although i am glad they have retained one.. The police obviously left the gate unsecured but no one will ever prove that..
here’s the sign I have, But I better get the one you mentioned.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=507178629315645&set=a.101922246507954.4425.100000705384440&type=1&theater..
I’ve got signs on both locked fences and all around the fence as well. Still, I put both my dogs in their crates whenever somebody knocks on the door, because it could always be a mistaken no-knock raid.
This is just too sad. Our back yard is also fenced, but due to a mentally ill neighbor, who, in the past, has opened the gate and left it open., I now keep it padlocked with a cable. If cops are just going to shoot the dog that is protecting the home, that is more reason for homeowners to gun-up.
Oh, yeah, “gun up” is the solution – NOT! What, are you going to do, shoot the cop in return? That is totally not a helpful, or smart comment, and your attitude likely won’t bring much to this, or any other thread.
I don;t think she meant to shoot police.. but to protect your home.. and your animals I would not hesitate to shoot someone who pulled a gun on my dogs. I hope i am never faced with the situation BUT..more and more dogs are being “target practice’ for the police they shoot them “just because they can”..and with all of the negative press promoted by the media.. dogs are a soft target.. especially if they have short hair and are bigger than a chihuahua
Many times I worked incidents where Law Enforcement shot and killed owned dogs – never even bothering to call us at Animal Control to assist. There were many occaisions of multiple dogs where the officers simply shot and killed the Bully Breed and then called us to “Pick up the dead Pit – and I’m sure you can capture the others – they’re fine.” We have a fever pitch in this country of animal killings – and as Shirley repeatedly has shown – Law Enforcement policse itself. Right.
Law enforcement should NEVER be allowed to police themselves! It should be MANDATORY that it must be a third party unrelated to the incident. It is the only way that there would be a fair outcome in the justice system. And yes, the owners should sue.
justice is coming to some:
http://news.yahoo.com/video/commerce-city-police-officer-charged-152400398.html
the video is painful to watch..but thank goodness someone got it record.. it is vile and cruel.. the dog was already in the noose..and shot point blank five times THAT is cruel.. and uncalled for,… a trigger happy cop like this man is a danger to society
It’s so sad and I am particularly angry at myself for not having enough time ot conitnually follow up on Chloe the dog that was shot in Commerce City Colorado over Thanksgiving weekend last month. It happens so often, it is hard to stay focused on one incident. And I hope in Chicago, as I do here in Colorado, the incident is used to change the handling of stray pets instead of just persecuting the officer. I do believe his culpable, but the solution is not his punishment, it is a systemic change in the way law enforcement handles these situations. I realize it is hard to look past the actual killer of the dog. But that is the easy way to end the story. Chicagoans, make it about training, education and policy changes so Kobi is the last one.
That’s super messed up. If the cops truly felt at risk, why not use something less lethal? And why shoot the animal multiple times?
This happens far too often! The police must be forced to use other forms for support. Killing an animal should never be an option!
No it’s not just in bad neighborhoods- I lived in an upscale urban community and when the cops are focused on a fugitive they don’t care about your property. Gates or anything else.
They came across my back fence in the middle of the afternoon guns drawn and God forbid I would have had a child out playing in that yard.
We need a TV show- Cops Gone Wild!!
AMEN! POLICE NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNT NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING STUPID CHOICES!