CAN - Police run over woman's dog several times, then shoot it

**warning -- disturbing images/video at link**

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/opp-dog-collingwood-1.3281740

"A woman in Collingwood is questioning why police ran over her dog several times before shooting it Monday night."

"Southerland called Merrick her "sidekick" and said. "she's just an old dog that was kind of lost and running around and was mistaken for a rabid, vicious coyote that a cop felt he had to run over three times and then shoot her.""

JMO, but people in other occupations are regularly fired for far less.

Thankfully it's from a distance because that's hard to watch, must have been really hard for the owner. Here's more on it, including another picture of the dog with the owner. Beautiful dog.

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/10/22/hold-cop-who-killed-dog-accountable-peta

The dog’s owner, Karen Sutherland, says Merrick, a German shepherd-cattle dog cross, was 21-years-old, blind and deaf.

What the police did there was unconscionable, even if it were a coyote.

We read here, time and again, that violence against animals is a stage of those who become serial killers. I guess I'll leave it at that.

Here's a lot more of the story.

http://www.640toronto.com/2015/10/22/oakley-334/

Interestingly enough, she was the one who initially called the OPP and animal control because the dog was on her lawn.

“It was dark, it was raining, it was lightning, it was pretty bad weather,” she told the Collingwood Connection HERE. “It was standing right out front here and I went, ‘that’s a coyote.’ It looked very much like a coyote. There is something not right with this animal. He had his nose to the ground the whole time.”

Soti tried to support the cops decision, saying that “that police officer was just as shaken as we were,” she said. “It was a very hard task for him to do. He had no choice, he couldn’t shoot it on people’s property. He had to get it on the road. In order to subdue it so that he could shoot it, he had to run it over. What was he going to do? I feel just as bad for him.”

I can't believe they did that. We have a coyote in our neighborhood and when it got sick Animal Rescue came out and captured it, took it in, rehabilitated it, and let it loose again.

But I did find this from London, Ontario (150 miles south of Collingwood):

Earlier this year, London Police shot and killed a rabid coyote in the Wortley area, while last October another pet dog was killed in a coyote attack near Wharncliffe and Commissioners.

So far this year, the Ministry of Natural Resources says it has received 11 calls or emails this year regarding coyotes in the Aylmer-MNRF District, which is a large geographical region that includes London. Three of those reports involved dog attacks in the city.

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http://www.am980.ca/2015/06/03/mini...ssues-warning-following-deadly-coyote-attack/


But running over and shooting this old dog is an overreaction. Who does that??

“We are trying to get the word out about this incident where kids can see this and the cruelty of the way they killed the animal. Why it was done doesn’t matter, the way it was done was cruel, inhumane and disgusting.”

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http://news.nationalpost.com/news/c...l-by-running-it-over-three-times-in-a-cruiser

bluesneakers said:

I can't believe they did that. We have a coyote in our neighborhood and when it got sick Animal Rescue came out and captured it, took it in, rehabilitated it, and let it loose again.

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I read that the neighbor did first call Animal Control but was told to call police. Maybe AC doesn't work at night or wasn't going out because of the storm.

I don't want to watch the video but can anyone tell me if the dog had a collar on? In the different pictures it does. If it was wearing a collar the cop should've known it wasn't a coyote IMO.

Montjoy said:

**warning -- disturbing images/video at link**

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/opp-dog-collingwood-1.3281740

"A woman in Collingwood is questioning why police ran over her dog several times before shooting it Monday night."

"Southerland called Merrick her "sidekick" and said. "she's just an old dog that was kind of lost and running around and was mistaken for a rabid, vicious coyote that a cop felt he had to run over three times and then shoot her.""

JMO, but people in other occupations are regularly fired for far less.

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I agree with you. Someone who could do something like this has no business working with the public. Clearly unfit for this job.

But...

Acting Sgt. Lynda Cranney said “the OPP remain committed to the humane destruction of wildlife that present an imminent threat to public safety,” but she conceded that the animal killed by the officer was a domesticated dog.

Cranney refused to answer further questions, saying only that the dog’s owner had been contacted and that it was an active investigation.

She wouldn’t say whether the officer in question has been reprimanded or if police had apologized to its owner.

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.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...police-say-it-was-aggressive/article26900913/

Tillicum said:

I don't want to watch the video but can anyone tell me if the dog had a collar on? In the different pictures it does. If it was wearing a collar the cop should've known it wasn't a coyote IMO.

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I don't think that the cops would have been able to have seen a collar on this dog. But I guess I'm biased as I've been around a lot of different dogs. This one acted like an old dog, and there's a world of difference between an old dog and a rabid coyote. I think that most children could differentiate them most of the time.

SophieRose said:

I read that the neighbor did first call Animal Control but was told to call police. Maybe AC doesn't work at night or wasn't going out because of the storm.

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Animal Control isn't the same thing. They probably would have killed the dog too. I never call them.

Montjoy said:

I don't think that the cops would have been able to have seen a collar on this dog. But I guess I'm biased as I've been around a lot of different dogs. This one acted like an old dog, and there's a world of difference between an old dog and a rabid coyote. I think that most children could differentiate them most of the time.

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Well evidently the woman who called couldn't tell the difference I can't bring myself to watch it so I can't really give an opinion. I feel bad for the dog though.

We have problems with both coyotes and wild dogs around here and I've seen them rip a calf to shreds in minutes. If the first shot isn't a kill shot, they'll spin around and charge you so I can understand the reasoning to not shoot it in the yard around people.

Condolences to the owner of this dog.

Have to think this officers headlights would have shown a collar - if he looked. Or did he just take the first words he heard from his dispatch as gospel?

Not caring for run over first, shoot second and ask questions third. Where was the threat in the behavior from the dog/coyote?

Woodland said:

Condolences to the owner of this dog.

Have to think this officers headlights would have shown a collar - if he looked. Or did he just take the first words he heard from his dispatch as gospel?

Not caring for run over first, shoot second and ask questions third. Where was the threat in the behavior from the dog/coyote?

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I can't watch the video but I don't think there was one. The dog was hard of hearing and a bit blind so it wasn't behaving the way a normal dog would. I think if it stood still while they zoomed at it with their car that would be a clue. And even if they thought they had no other choice they could have done it humanely. This was just cruel.

I can't watch the video, to choked up already. I really feel for the owner. Was there some type of threat? What was the dog doing?

keeponsearching said:

I can't watch the video, to choked up already. I really feel for the owner. Was there some type of threat? What was the dog doing?

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Acting like a lost old dog:

Christine Soti said she was at her home watching the results of the federal election roll in around 9 p.m. when she noticed an animal limping around her property, sniffing the ground.

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And

The animal was “almost in a daze,” she said.

“It just wasn’t right — there was something not right about it.”

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bluesneakers said:

I can't watch the video but I don't think there was one. The dog was hard of hearing and a bit blind so it wasn't behaving the way a normal dog would. I think if it stood still while they zoomed at it with their car that would be a clue. And even if they thought they had no other choice they could have done it humanely. This was just cruel.

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Don't watch imo - it's sickening and one can't un-watch this non-threatening event.

I live in Collingwood - there is something wrong between animal control and the OPP as per this recent event I experienced. Relating it as it's likely true for many places. A solution is needed.

I had a cow run through my property about 2 - 3 weeks ago. The cow resides barely 1/2 km away with many other cows (the farm has existed for many years and the semi-rural residential area was built around it - about 50 homes). Have seen these cows roaming the street next to mine a number of times over the last 10 years and the owners trying to round them up - not a problem.

There are 3 large dogs and a few small dogs in the neighborhood - have had to pick up after them once or twice - not a problem.

But not only am I not going to pick up after cows, I often look after my daughters 7 pound yorkie - well trained and does not run outside of the 4 corners of the property (treats in my pocket aka bride). This neutered ball of I'm-going-to-protect-you energy was with me at the time the cow ran through the property - we had only just come inside. The cow would have kicked the yorkie to death I'm sure.

I called animal control to ask that they approach the farm owner to advise one of their cows ran through my property (as the owners well know happens) and to please fix whatever fence is in disrepair that lets them escape.

Collingwood animal control advised 'they don't do cows' and to call the OPP. Not only that - the animal control person advised that if I call the OPP about this, the OPP will tell me 'they don't do cows'.

So, it appears no one is in charge of roaming animals in Collingwood. It won't get better until Trude and Cooper (police chief and mayor) get it together. The same likely exists on the outskirts of many a town/city/village.

I ain't calling the OPP if I see a cow on my property again. What I will do is approach the owner myself - although there is the potential for the owner to get their back up - problems all around.

What is the solution? Idk.

I spent part of my childhood on a farm and we often had neighbors showing up (usually in the middle of the night) to tell us our cows were out. Then we'd have to find them, bring them home, then find the hole in the fence and fix it. It's just part of rural living. I don't ever remember the police coming to the door. If this happened now I don't even know who I would call other than the owner. I'm surprised OPP didn't do anything though because isn't a roaming cow dangerous? A hazard? I'd hate to see them just shoot the poor cow but they should do something.

This is what happened when a deer was loose on the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto:

'Happy ending' for deer corralled on Gardiner

TORONTO - Bambi’s day out ended remarkably well considering the year-old female deer took a dangerous stroll on the Gardiner Expressway amid long weekend traffic on Monday.

On the loose, the young doe shut down a section of the Gardiner, leading a Toronto Zoo veterinarian to get out his tranquilizer.

Once in custody, the fawn “appeared unharmed,” said Nicola Ware, an animal care and control officer from Toronto Animal Services.

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Wild and unpredictable animals CAN be treated humanely so why couldn't they have simply tranquilized Merrick?

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/05/19/deer-loose-on-gardiner-expressway

I didn't call the OPP when animal control advised 'they don't do cows' - seemed like a stupid idea with a bad outcome. Now I know that for a fact and won't call. Cows are on the domesticated side - no?

Yes a humane solution is out there - where are the civil servants to take care of this? None? Cutbacks? Stupidity? They don't care? Idk.

Ooops - I feed deer in the winter with a special feed made from a feed mill - usually have about 14 of them. Some, well many, of my neighbors don't like that. Duh, the deer were here first - the neighbors seem to think if I didn't feed them they would have gone away by now. Not so imo.

Hopefully they won't decide now to call the OPP when they see a deer - knowing the OPP will shoot first. A few times a new mom has brought her fawn here - still wobbling and barely able to walk straight. You can't tell me they aren't showing off their new born to the person who helped them survive harsh winters when food is hard to find. Ok so they eat the hasta and lily - spray with rotten egg and water - they don't like the smell. Solution.

Woodland said:

I didn't call the OPP when animal control advised 'they don't do cows' - seemed like a stupid idea with a bad outcome. Now I know that for a fact and won't call. Cows are on the domesticated side - no?

Yes a humane solution is out there - where are the civil servants to take care of this? None? Cutbacks? Stupidity? They don't care? Idk.

Ooops - I feed deer in the winter with a special feed made from a feed mill - usually have about 14 of them. Some, well many, of my neighbors don't like that. Duh, the deer were here first - the neighbors seem to think if I didn't feed them they would have gone away by now. Not so imo.

Hopefully they won't decide now to call the OPP when they see a deer - knowing the OPP will shoot first. A few times a new mom has brought her fawn here - still wobbling and barely able to walk straight. You can't tell me they aren't showing off their new born to the person who helped them survive harsh winters when food is hard to find. Ok so they eat the hasta and lily - spray with rotten egg and water - they don't like the smell. Solution.

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When I've dealt with animals - strange or wild - I've always called a shelter, the zoo, or animal rescue. Yes, I'm one of those people and everyone in the neighborhood knows to call me when there's an injured or strange animal around. One time I ended up having to call the police and they shot an obviously ill raccoon.

I wouldn't even know who else to call or what civil servants are expected to deal with animals. Who do people call when there's a bear in the backyard? I know of one story and of course the bear was shot by police.

If you call the cops on a deer I think in most cases the deer would be gone long before the cops show up.

The egg and cayenne pepper mixture saved my tomatoes!

Woodland said:

I didn't call the OPP when animal control advised 'they don't do cows' - seemed like a stupid idea with a bad outcome. Now I know that for a fact and won't call. Cows are on the domesticated side - no?

Yes a humane solution is out there - where are the civil servants to take care of this? None? Cutbacks? Stupidity? They don't care? Idk.

Ooops - I feed deer in the winter with a special feed made from a feed mill - usually have about 14 of them. Some, well many, of my neighbors don't like that. Duh, the deer were here first - the neighbors seem to think if I didn't feed them they would have gone away by now. Not so imo.

Hopefully they won't decide now to call the OPP when they see a deer - knowing the OPP will shoot first. A few times a new mom has brought her fawn here - still wobbling and barely able to walk straight. You can't tell me they aren't showing off their new born to the person who helped them survive harsh winters when food is hard to find. Ok so they eat the hasta and lily - spray with rotten egg and water - they don't like the smell. Solution.

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It's been illegal to feed deer in California since 1996.
I found this on it.

http://californiaoutdoorsqas.com/tag/deer/

Feeding deer unnaturally concentrates the animals in a very confined location and increases the potential spread of disease. It also makes them more vulnerable to predation by mountain lions and coyotes who quickly figure out where to find concentrated numbers of deer. CDFW has investigated many cases of deer feeding that inadvertently attracted mountain lions which killed the deer the people were trying to feed.