American Humane Demands Investigation into Fatal Shooting of Family Dog by Tennessee Police

American Humane Association
Friday, 10 January 2003

American Humane, the nation's only organization dedicated to both child and animal protection, today voiced concern over the deliberate shooting death of a family dog by a Cookeville, Tenn., police officer. American Humane has asked Tennessee officials to conduct a full investigation, take disciplinary action on this case, and make changes in the training received by police and law enforcement officers in the state.

American Humane strongly encourages the state to add components to its law enforcement training programs that include reading and understanding animal behavior and controlling situations involving animals. This training should promote deadly force only when necessary to protect human or other animal life.

"In the past two days, American Humane has received numerous calls and e-mails from concerned citizens across the nation expressing their outrage over this incident," says Sharon O'Hara, American Humane's vice president of programs. "We understand the extreme pressures faced by our nation's police force. Their jobs demand quick action and vigilance to ensure their own protection and the people's safety. However, instances such as this can and must be avoided in the future."

American Humane encourages concerned individuals to write or call their governor, highway patrol offices, and local police to voice their opinions and request actions be taken to prevent similar incidents from happening. People who are interested in protecting the rights of children and animals can also register on this website to receive American Humane action alerts on this and similar issues. Just click on Register in the top left corner of this page.

"Because more than half of American homes have pets, law enforcement officers often face situations involving companion animals," says O'Hara. "Lawmakers and law enforcement officials must recognize how important companion animals are to us and take steps to ensure officers are properly trained to handle these encounters."

For more information, or to contact American Humane Association, see their website at: www.americanhumane.org