ASPCA Responds To Fatal Tennessee Dog Shooting

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Tuesday, 14 January 2003

ASPCA urges law enforcement training to include canine handling & behavior.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) wants to prevent the killing of innocent pets by encouraging police academies to teach their cadets and recruits how to effectively read canine body language and behavior before responding with deadly force.

The announcement comes in response to the fatal January 01 shooting of Patton, a bulldog/boxer mix, in Cookeville, Tenn. The friendly family dog died needlessly after being shot by Cookeville police officer Eric Hall during a traffic stop. The family was mistakenly stopped when the officers noticed money flying from the vehicle. It was later revealed that the driver, James Smoak, of Saluda, North Carolina, had merely left his wallet on the roof of the car. During the stop, Patton approached the officers with a wagging tail. He was killed with a shotgun.

Patton's death is not an isolated incident. Dogs across the nation are dying each day because police officers are not trained to effectively deal with them. "There are many nonlethal ways to restrain animals including pepperball, tasers or chemical immobilization guns," says Ledy VanKavage, an attorney in the ASPCA Midwest Government Affairs and Public Policy Office "Police officers need to understand canine behavior and how to effectively respond to potentially dangerous situations. Patton would still be alive if the police officers had been properly trained or had non-lethal weapons available for their use."

In an effort to train police officers on proper canine handling, the ASPCA has teamed up with the Illinois Department of Agriculture in a statewide effort to train police officers on animal statues. During training officers learn how to handle animals that they perceive to be dangerous. The ASPCA hopes that this education will be available nationwide so that every police department in the country can effectively deal with animals in nonlethal ways.

Founded in 1866, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was the first humane organization established in the Western Hemisphere and exists to promote humane principles, prevent cruelty and alleviate pain, fear and suffering in animals. 740,000 members and donors support our mission. The ASPCA provides national programming and leadership in humane education and public awareness, government affairs and public policy, shelter support, animal placement, animal medical services and poison control services. While there is no direct reporting relationship with other SPCA's, the ASPCA National Shelter Outreach department provides extensive assistance and support to shelters nationwide. The New York City headquarters houses a full-service animal hospital, animal behavior center, adoption facility, and Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) Department, which is responsible for enforcing New York's animal cruelty laws. The original reality series Animal Precinct, airing on the Animal Planet network, chronicles the work of the ASPCA's HLE agents as they investigate cases of animal cruelty. Now in its third season, the award-winning documentary is seen by millions of viewers nationally. The ASPCA is a privately funded 501 [c] [3] not-for-profit corporation. For more information, visit www.aspca.org or our online adoption partner www.petfinder.com.

For more information, or to contact American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, see their website at: www.aspca.org