Montgomery Co in Texas is investigating itself to determine how one of its off duty sheriff’s deputies visited the county shelter to adopt a dog and ended up allegedly beating three dogs with a two-by-four in the back before having his adoption processed out front. (You probably want to go back and re-read that so I’ll pause for a moment here.)
The Courier of Montgomery Co reports that on Saturday, the MCSO deputy and his family were in the shelter’s exercise area with three dogs, including a friendly male pitbull mix named Rock who was reportedly a staff favorite. There was apparently no shelter staff supervising the family. Not saying the guy got special treatment because he was a sheriff’s deputy but, unless the staff is totally lax with everyone who comes to visit, it seems like a possibility.
When the three dogs started fighting, the deputy allegedly picked up a board and began beating the dogs. Rock apparently got it in the head and was left with neurological damage so severe that he had to be euthanized. The other two dogs are described as “seriously injured” but the county won’t say what their status is. They’re probably fine, you know.
After the bloodshed, the deputy apparently went up front and got the adoption paperwork processed and took home his new pet. Not saying the guy got special treatment because he was a sheriff’s deputy but, unless shelter policy states adopters can’t be denied for any reason including leaving a trail of blood from the exercise area to the adoption desk, it seems like a possibility.
Shelter director Dr. Todd Hayden told the Courier he didn’t know why three dogs were in the exercise area together, where the two-by-four came from or who Rock was. And:
“We are working with the DA and the dog is going to Texas A&M tomorrow (Monday) for a necropsy.”
Right. Because maybe Rock had heartworms or hookworms or earthworms or any other possible thing that his death could be pinned on besides having his skull cracked by a sheriff’s deputy. Not saying the guy is getting special treatment because he is a sheriff’s deputy – well, actually.
As far as how the guy’s adoption was processed and he was given a dog to take home, Hayden offered this:
He said the front desk personnel was unaware of the situation unfolding at the back of the shelter.
Gee, maybe they need to institute an Adopter Carnage Alert system to take care of this little loophole. Or at least a quick visual inspection to determine the adopter isn’t covered in flecks of gray matter and blood.
Anyway, don’t criticize. Until the stupid public spays and neuters their pets, I guess we just have to accept. I can’t wait to find out that Rock had Jelly Head Syndrome or a bum ticker or whatever cause of death that will not be attributable to being Negan’d with a two-by-four.
(Thanks Clarice.)
This is… what???
Unsupervised, he beats a dog to death, injures two others (who is paying for their vet care, I wonder?) and then goes up front and adopts a fourth?
And… this is all good with everyone is it?
How big is this shelter that you can beat dogs with a 2×4 in the back and the people up front aren’t aware that there is an issue? What happened to the 2×4, which I presume is evidence in a crime? And it sounds like he was with his family the whole time this was going on? Is children’s services looking into the situation to see if the kids are all right?
So much wrong here, I don’t even know what to say.
His wife needs to start looking for a way out for her and the kids right this damn minute, for cryin’ out loud. That man is a freak who needs to be dropped out of a high-flying plane without a working parachute.
As for the idjits ‘working’ at the ‘shelter’ – you ALL need to get your heads out of your asses, NOW.
It is rare but I am speechless. This is beyond disgusting….
What is even sadder is the majority of those commenting on the original article felt the deputy was JUSTIFIED in beating the dogs. No one has enough critical thinking skills to see any other scenario, or even ask WHY the deputy was alone in an enclosed area with three dogs, no shelter staff and THEN allowed to adopt another dog?! Sadder is the fact that the director didn’t know the dog who had apparently been there for several months.
I bet his wife and kids are scared of him. Seems a likely candidate for child an spousal abuse. A real Psychopath.
And the entire staff as well as the director needs to be fired and charges brought against the deputy for animal abuse. This whole place is nuts.
I have not been to this particular shelter, but it could be pretty big. Montgomery County borders Harris County which, I’m guestimating has a population of about 4 million.
Hi, not defending the shelter, but these animal shelters are understaffed and overcrowded and many of them euthanize animals because of overcrowding. I don’t know if this particular shelter does though. I am a dog lover and this breaks my heart.
You may say you’re “not defending the shelter,” but your comment is a form of defending the shelter. Overcrowding is not a reason to euthanize. It is a reason to get creative and start aggressively promoting placing more animals in homes and developing a foster network or agreements with other shelters to take animals when you have too many to handle. Shelters have lots of free resources at hand, including creating a Facebook page to promote animals, and a lot of the overcrowding problem can be reduced with no additional funding if they have the interest in doing so.
I don’t care if this place had a bizillion empty cages. There shouldn’t have been 4 dogs unsupervised in a play area, this “person” should not have been left alone with any animal, there should not have been a 2 x 4 there (just happened to have one laying around? guy walked in with it? what?), and this guy should not have been allowed to adopt anything but a pet rock. So, maybe you are a dog lover, but there is no excuse for this happening!
sorry, 3 dogs ~ still 2 too many
Deputy must be a founding member of the Michael Tortorici fan club. Or an Acolyte of the Michael Vick Method Of Dog Obedience Training. I hope they go and get that dog from him.
OMG! This is so sad… I can not believe this could happen. What is wrong with the policies and procedures. There needs to be a conviction. This should of never happened. But it di and with that being said someone needs to do a well fare check on the adopted dog and he needs to be CHARGED ASAP!
I am horrified by this entire story. There needs to be a major investigation into all of this. Why did the deputy think that he had the right to start beating the dogs like this, why didn’t he call for shelter staff, why were there three dogs all out together ( that most likely were unfamiliar with one another) and why was he given the right to go ahead & adopt a dog??? There is something just not right about this whole mess. An officer who has been properly trained, should know how to break up a fight…between humans or animals. What would he have done if it was three men in a major fight? Beat them all with a two by four….or just shot all of them?
Ruth, if this man were a psychopath he would be mentally ill, and would not have passed the testing required to get into the Police Academy, he is likely a Sociopath, the difference being, a sociopath can act like a normal person and cant be distinguished from the general population, whereas a sociopath tends to be ‘normal’. Ted Bundy was a sociopath, as were most other serial killers.
Sorry but your wrong. Being mean and a hateful person has nothing to do with being a psychopath or dutifully kept from law enforcement. Easily the stupidest comment on this post.
Others commented the man was a psychopath, which he is not, as a clinical psychopath is easily diagnosed with a basic mental health interview, and thus would not pass the required mental health testing to get into the police academy, I would know, I am Schizophrenic, mildly, and cannot even get a job as a dispatcher because of the diagnosis.
I said nothing about hm actually being one, quite the opposite, I was actualy explaining why he was NOT a psychopath and was instead a sociopath, which is NOT a mental illness, but rather a state of mind where one feels the laws of society do not apply to themselves.
http://www.stoplynching.com,
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Never is are 2 dogs that are not kenneled together allowed in the exercise areas of a shelter together! That shelter staff needs to go.
Words fail…no one was watching the dogs, the guy mixed a bunch of dogs, when they started fighting he beat them into critical condition and a euth…he was still ALLOWED to ADOPT??? The proper investigative authorities need to be called immediately and the “shelter” needs to be closed while this is being looked into.
Who can we call to ask that justice be served?
If this incident does NOT get investigated by the proper authorities, something is RADICALLY wrong….so very sad for the animals this supposed servant of public safety felt the need to destroy….horriffic
Shirley, any idea when this happened and the name of the Deputy? I JUST moved to Montgomery County, Texas!
This is another case of not having smart people taking care of these precious fur babies. This idiot needs to be fired from his job, locked up and put on the list for no contact with animals. He is a danger to others and shouldnt be allowed to have a gun, be in any type of power job, and definitely never allowed around animals. Throw the key away after you put him in the cell. IN fact, put him in the cell with animals lovers and let him get what he deserves.
R u kidding me…no one heard these poor dogs yelping,screaming out in pain…sounds like a inside job to me..someone better investigate,and quick…as for the deputy…May you rot in hell
This is an Idiot who should not have any dogs or children around him and is one mean sonofabitch he abused three dogs and killed one of them put his ass in jail do not let him get away with it, we fight so hard for these dogs to have a decent life and a so called policeman decided he wanted to beat them to death because they were fighting ,well i’m not buying it asshole you killed a dog and that’s against the law and how long will it be before you kill the dog you took home.
He should be prosecuted and lose his job. He obviously has no self control and will end up hurting more animals and probably people!
Just a thought: Could he fight dogs and needed to see which dog was the better fighter ?
Why else were there 4 digs in a small area with NO staff around? First it was said no staff was there but then he hoes up front and adopts a dog? This Deputy should be fired What if he dies t like your fig when he had to make a house call. He would be the kind to shoot your dog for no reason . What a sorry Shelter this is!
I really don’t care if he was a priest he should have not been left alone with anyone of the dog’s let alone three of them. I think he was looking for a fighting dog so he can fight them so they better watch it that’s what I think he might even run a fighting ring some where & know one know’s it. He better get in trouble for that to he hurt one really bad & it had to be put to sleep & the other two got hurt really bad so who is paying for them to get help I think he should pay for it all.
That mother fucking deputy needs a jail where they can a teach him a lesson what a fucking coward!!!! along with that ass lick rimming dumb ass staff. WTF now we need a judge with balls to prosecute WE NEED JUSTICE YOU CAN’T HIDE BEHIND A BADGE
Shame on this shelter for letting this to happen and shame on the sheriff (supposedly the adopter) for killing a dog, this action says a lot about you!!!!! I really feel sorry for your wife and kids and dog, they better run away from you before the same fate happen to them. You should be ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!!!!!
Lock his ass up you know better than anybody else and in fact you should know better lowlife bastard.
This is completely negligence of the shelter staff and the “off duty” law enforcement deputy had no business interfering…he should have ran for staff. Clarice I hope all is prosecuted in this case…prayers for Rock’s Justice and the other 2 dogs. I think he opened cages to see if they would fight.
I am truly disgusted after reading the article on the three dogs. I am pretty sure, this off duty deputy sheriff was making much of himself , so much so, that he was ‘allowed’ to look at dogs with his family on his own. Why else would he get preferential treatment? Did he ‘suggest’ they should be left on their own? How 3 separate dogs were allowed to be in the same company together with them and No one to supervise needs some meaningful answering. Who went and brought the 3 dogs out? Did he do it himself. Sounds like he loves himself and likes to be put on a pedestal. Horror mistakes made here to put these poor dogs at the mercy of this thug and his family. Yes MISTER, I called you a THUG. When fighting broke out. What started it? Did you want to see who was the strongest dog to take home? Did it get out of control and you didn’t get help but BLUDGEONED these poor dogs to death? How the hell you could calmly walk to a front desk and fill out forms to take ANOTHER dog home is beyond comprehension. You are a sadist. I hope this poor dog has been taken away from you to protect its life. You have shown us all what you are like as a deputy sheriff . I hope you rot in jail and never be released. What else have you done that has been swept under the carpet?
ROCK is dead and 2 other dogs are hurt. Why? No one saw or heard anything? Special privileges? Sad but I believe this will be slipped under the rug. Another dog forgotten. Why? These dogs are this facility deserve a safe environment which was not provided. Why was deputy allowed inside with the animals unsupervised? All employees need to lose their jobs since they were not doing their jobs. They all missed the carnage left behind. After this invid but was found, was the deputy called to return the precious animal’s life he adopted. I am very disappointed with all the employees including the director and also the shelter and their bylaws. Something must be done. Rock lost his life.
Where are the animal loving compassionate people who should be working at this shelter? Why can’t anyone charge the MCSO officer with animal abuse? Who is going to report this to the FBI tracking agency who is tracking animal abusers? I agree this is a case appropriate for CPS, but I am aware CPS wouldn’t do anything about it. If the buck stops at the person in charge and he/she is fired, maybe these kind of incidents would stop happening. Why can’t we have law enforcement officers who are good examples to the community, not only in laws but in morals too. We need a petition to sign about this.
Lock he up and charge him with 3 counts of animal abuse if it where me or you that is what would happen we are watching to see if he gets away with this. Why was his name not listed.
I am not saying what happened was ok but I read this guy was in the back with 3 dogs loose in an area. Article says dogs started fighting. And these were pitts and big dogs. Believe me I would grab the closest thing to break them up before they killed each other and sure would not use my hands to try and separate them. I too might grab and board. Maybe this guy just hit too hard and injured one dog. Can you imagine though how terrifying three pitts fighting would be How much noise they would make? If this guy was only trying to separate fighting dogs then he should have called the shelter staff after it happened.
No, he should never have been left with the dogs, it’s true. But I have to wonder if the dogs did “start fighting” or if they were roughhousing. Would shelter staff leave three dogs together if they weren’t sure of personalities?
I have a dog who “roars” when she plays. It sounds very scary and threatening if you don’t know that this is her play sound. When I saw another dog at the shelter do it (in play), staff started to move in, fearing for the safety of the dogs because they’d never heard it before. We took cues from the dog on the other end of the play who seemed to be enjoying himself and let it go on… and yes, it was just play with “roaring” on one dog’s part. From then on, there was a note on her card that she makes a scary sound during play, but not to be alarmed by it as long as the play behaviors were all normal and the other dog was okay with it.
So I have to wonder if these dogs weren’t trying to kill each other, rather they were playing and the cop didn’t know what he was seeing. I also think that if I and my children are locked in a cage with three large dogs tearing at each other, my first thought is to get the kids out of there, then contact staff. I would NOT try to break it up and I certainly wouldn’t grab a 2×4 and start swinging not knowing if they’d all turn on me.
Cops are *supposed* to de-escalate a situation. You would think that eliminating the threat to human lives by removing them from the caged area would be his first priority. After that, the dogs are no threat to anyone but each other.
I truly fear for the dog he adopted. And for his kids and wife. A man who sees violence as a means of control is not someone I want holding a gun or a badge.
This is just plain crazy. His wife and children were right there what the hell was wrong with the wife not getting help from staff. There is something wrong with this picture and the guy. I’m sorry their favorite dog was killed and the other dogs hurt or worse. He needs to be punished by the law cop or not…
If this sorry mother f would do this to these dogs then he would do it to a woman and children and this is who the hell we trust the safety of children and women and innocent people to.. OMG stop this bastard stop this sorry fucker from killing a human this was trial run………..
Omg! This just breaks my heart knowing this baby dies by the hands of a monster! This is so wrong on so many levels! Where did the board come from? How could on a Saturday no one hear or see anything? Right! And no staff present while there was 3 dogs in the run area? Somethings very wrong with this story and that chip definitely needs to pay the price for all the damage he left behind! 1 dog dies, 2 dogs siverly injured? Wow this shelter need to be under investigated as well as that cop! So sad for those sweet babies! :(
I’m so tired of hearing about the dumb jerks that live in Texas I could scream. This is the very thing that all “Animal shelters have in common. They are poorly run and give special treatment to their buddies”
Sorry to say, it’s happening all over the place. I know it’s happening in my state of California.
This should never happen. The deputy did wrong and should never own any animal. So very sad.😧
What the hell? Did they get the dog he adopted back did they even go out and check this guy’s house?, how wax can you be.
A law enhancer doing the most horrible inhuman job and walks away with the next victim to be….Remorseless as he is the adopted one is under severe threat of life. How could the shelter accept the fact that any body no matter whatever his social or political position is killing one of its inmate within their premises and let go it? Actually they were happy to be rid one of the inmates.
Well, given the fact that there was a handy 2×4 available and 3 apparently aggressive dogs that this little meeting had been prearranged. Either the staff wanted rid of the dogs and let the cop take out his frustrations on the poor dogs or they allowed it so he would not take it out on them.
I raise bullysno id not put 3 strange dogs together nor should that shelter have allowed the deputy alone with the dogs I feel sorry for dog named rock.he lost his life because a human made a poor choice.The deputy needs his dog removed from his c as re and charged with dog abuse an the death of rock..I own a hunting dog kennel and id not leave 3 dogs together with out. Supervision facts
Is this the kind of police we want protecting the public? He needs to be fired. Police in some areas are getting by with too much aggression. This is also a bad example for his kids. He should not have been allowed to adopt a dog with this kind of temperament this is probably what the dog will experience living with this maniac. Shame on him and shame on the PD he works for.
how does a good shelter do sonething like that the deputy needs to be beat with a boerd and the shelter staff who were there need to be fired especially the one who gave the an a pet to take home
From what I’ve read and heard, this shelter has had problems for a year or so. The present director has only been there a few weeks. He came in and ‘cleaned house’ by firing some of the best employees. Others who had the dogs’ best interests at heart quit when they saw the way things were going. The shelter probably is understaffed with new employees who haven’t had adequate training. This used to be a great shelter with caring employees and dedicated volunteers. The county commissioner who is over the shelter must have a hidden agenda or something because he has let the shelter sink to this level.
I agree with Kate – As for the idjits ‘working’ at the ‘shelter’ – you ALL need to get your heads out of your asses, NOW. I wonder, did the family put the 3 dogs in together? The whole thing is really sad, and the shelter is really incompetent.
I’m a one person rescue owner and operator ( of Pitbulls and Rottweilers) and I don’t use a freakin 2×4 to beat up dogs. Good grief!!! I’m also sick and tired of hearing about cops killing dogs….just because they can and will. Stupid damn cop and staff!!! Kate said it when we need some judges with a pair of real balls. I’m starting to be embarrassed to live in Texas with all these animal killers and abusers. Where’s the justice and common sense around here????
No mystery here! Mr Hayden, new britches in town, took it upon himself to FIRE ALL of the employees’s that cared about the animals. No more rescue people or kennel help that cared. He couldn’t stand that others were successful at adopting out pets. So naturally this is what you get. .
@mikken – actully it’s huge. They have over 600 animals there. There are two large runs, similar to a dog park, in the back. The check out is in the front.
However, there are questions that MUST be answered.
WHY were there 3 dogs in the run at the same time with no other personnel or volunteers present? Normally a person takes one dog out. There may be multiple dogs in the pen, but each would have a person supervising. Did he and his family take out three dogs?
WHERE did the 2×4 come from? I’ve never seen 2x4s just lying around there. Did staff find the weapon or did the deputy use a baton or something he had on him?
This occurred on Saturday (see article linked)?! Normally the back runs would have other people, either voluntarily walking other dogs or those wanting to adopt.The Courier article didn’t give a time of day. I can’t see others just standing around letting a dog get beaten.
I’m not excusing staff, btw–obviously changes have to be made. Perhaps require an electronic card to get into the back area so a staff member is aware when someone is taking a dog out to a run. The deputy should be brought up on animal cruelty charges and fired.
This is not rite in any way. Guy hit dogs w board an still left w a dog. I hope Montgomery co steps up to plate. An investigates thus.
They need to go to the home of that family and remove the dog that they adopted immediately, knowing what they know now! This is very disturbing…..it’s almost like having concrete evidence that the guy isn’t to be trusted.
I hope they got the adopted dog back from him! He should be put on a “do not allow to adopt” list, but most of all should be arrested!!!
After reading all this, clearly the shelter is responsible. Why were these people allowed free reign to go in the shelter without supervision? And, why was there not a shelter person supervising the playground when these dogs were there? It’s their responsibility to watch over and protect these animals no matter what. For this deputy to take it upon himself to demonstrate extreme aggression toward these animals is unacceptable! Is this how he handles issues like this? This was not his place to do this. He should be held accountable for his actions and the shelter’s administrator should also be held negligible for failing to watch over these animals. These animals are like children. They require supervision. It’s sad these animals had to fall to human neglect and human aggression when it could have been taken care of in a totally different manner. That deputy should not have been allowed to adopt an animal due to his actions because I would question his actions in disciplining the pet, etc. Puts that pet in harm’s way. I hope this issue is taken very seriously and this sheriff and the shelter us held accountable for their actions. If not, the shelter should be shut down, and that sheriff needs some action taken against him. I will share this in hopes there will be a strong support for the safety and care of the rest of the animals AND that the sheriff’s home should be evaluated for the safety of that adopted pet.
This is unbelievable. This just screams bullshit!
Do you KNOW how much force would have had to have been behind the board that caused such severe injury ? To continue swinging while his wife and children were in there,too ?
The shelter may have lit the fuse , but this keg of dynamite exploded on his own.
God help the dog he took home. If this is how he disciplines, it won’t live very long. This is unbelievable…and who’s running this shelter…Michael Vick???
Wtf! Get the dog he adopted away from him and put him on DNA!
Everyone who lives in Montgomery Co. please write or email the D.A. to demand that criminal charges be filed against this person. Police and law enforcement feel free to do this all the time because they KNOW they can get away with it and nothing will be done. DEMAND that this man be fired and face criminal prosecution and DEMAND that the animal he adopted be taken away. He is not fit to have any animal. Police/law enforcement have run amuck killing animals because they know nothing will be done to them. It has got to stop. If this is a reflection of how he does his job he is unfit to be in law enforcement. Why didn’t he and his family just LEAVE the premises if the dogs were fighting? There was absolutely no reason for this.
This is BS! I dont care if the guy is jesus…if he hurt the dog or any dog he needs to pay the price just like anyone else. That badge will not protect his sorry a** cause abuser will not get away with it!!
There should have never been 3 dogs together in an area that was not supervised by a staff member. Even a meet and greet with a potential adopter’s pets should be in the presence of a staff member just in case it doesn’t go well. No special consideration just because he was a deputy. At the shelter I adopted from, if you wanted to interact with another dog the staff made sure the previous dog was safely back in it’s kennel. Puppies under 6 months had to be held and not allowed to touch the floor as to prevent any type of contagious illness. It’s not a large shelter but they don’t just let you take multiple animals out at one time. The shelter seems to be at fault as much as the deputy. They needed to know that 3 dogs were safely back in their kennels before adopting out a 4th. There is just so much wrong with this whole story and a dog lost his life. All because of human stupidity.
This lovely little tidbit should certainly not be overlooked since it shows how poorly the shelter is run and that Hayden doesn’t know that most bitches go into heat twice yearly.
“Dog fights,” Hayden said, “are not uncommon at the shelter due to so many animals, especially ones that have not been neutered.”
“It’s breeding season, so fights are more common,” said Hayden, adding a situation of this level has never occurred and dogs are rarely seriously injured. “They are not usually euthanized. It’s a really unfortunate thing to happen.”
WTF!!! I am sitting here with my mouth, literally, open. Unable to do anything, because of the unbelievable amount of anger I am feeling, and what I’d like to do to that motherf*cker p.o.s.!
Poor Rock! Oh and the other two survivors…I also worry about the dog he adopted. Will he get his skull cracked if he misbehaves???
Perhaps. The method of punishment most relished by “law enforcement” personnel is strangulation (by hanging to unconsciousness), which is what they routinely do to their K9’s behind the scenes.
I say we do the same to the sheriff’s deputy! Any volunteers?