Family Shocked, Outraged after Deputy Shoots Pet Dog in their Yard-Another One? - Page 1

Family Shocked, Outraged after Deputy Shoots Pet Dog in their Yard

<http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=24343>http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=24343

A Teton County, Idaho family is outraged after they say a sheriff's
deputy tried to murder their dog in their own front yard. The
Barboza family has owned their dog Bobby for five years. A few days
ago they say a Teton County Idaho Sheriff's Deputy knocked on their
door demanding to see the dog.

Leonel Barboza, Dog Owner: "He says, 'I'm here to put him down. I'm
here to kill him.'"

The officer told Leo Barboza there had been a complaint Bobby had
bitten someone.

Barboza: "I said, 'Do you have any proof or anything?' He says, 'I
don't need any proof.'"

So Leo got the dog while the deputy pulled out a rifle from his car.
They walked a few feet from the Barboza's home where Leo's wife and
his three year old son were inside.

Leo and the officer tied the dog to a pole when the deputy fired
three shots. The dog then collapsed. Leo's son heard the gunshots
and opened the front door. Meanwhile...

Barboza: "A bunch of kids just got off the bus and they were all on
the street. All the kids were watching the officer shooting the dog.
My heart was broken seeing an officer killing my dog."

The deputy then got in his vehicle and drove away leaving the dog
bleeding profusely from his head almost dead.

Barboza: "I came back inside with my wife and hid. We were hugging
each other crying about our dog because we were gonna miss him. He's
been with us for five years."

That night Leo's father-in-law, who witnessed the whole thing, had a
nervous breakdown and had to be hospitalized. When the family
returned home from the hospital a few days later, they were shocked
to see their dog alive.

Barboza: "My wife called me up and she's like, 'Hey, the dog's
alive!' I was like, 'What are you serious?' I was happy my dog was
alive."

The Teton County Idaho Sheriff wouldn't say much about this case
except that it's still under investigation. He also said there's
been numerous complaints about the Barboza's dog. But when I checked
court records, I could only find one complaint filed last year and
that was dismissed.

Nate Eaton, Channel 3 Eyewitness News: "Did your dog ever bite
anybody?"

Barboza: "Not to my knowledge. No."

Eaton: "And this was the first time you'd ever heard of any
complaint?"

Barboza: "Yes, this is the first time. I still think about it. You
know my kid thinks all the cops are bad because an officer came and
shot his dog. Honestly when I think about it I get mad too and I
don't trust that officer any more."

The Barboza's took Bobby to the vet. He's now on medication to get
the wounds taken care of. The holes in his head will be sewn up
after Thanksgiving.

The family has hired attorney Josh Garner. I spoke with him this
evening and he says, "If the facts are as they appear, the deputies
behavior is disgusting, troublesome, and appalling. The officer
needs to be held responsible."

Several sources say the officer is still on duty and still working
in the county.

Yeah Birdy, I saw the news video.   This doesn't just happen to animals, people to.

I have friends in law enforcement, one died saving people from a burning motel.  I think most of them are really good at what they do.   But just like any other profession there  are those who aren't.   I think we can agree on this and move on.

That poor puppy! thank god hes still alive. I wonder if the officer that shot the dog will ever face any animal cruelty charges? It's interesting to know.

Unbelievable!!

1)Three shots to the head, and the dog LIVED?? When did this guy last practise his shooting?

2) He'd do this in BROAD DAYLIGHT, with kids getting off the bus?? Where was his concern for public safety? What if a kid got hit by a riccochet??

3) Any time a dog is put down for biting someone, it must BY LAW be held for a certain number of days, to make sure it is not rabid. Then, it is HUMANELY EUTHANIZED, not shot in the head!!

What an absolute ASSHOLE!!    

Stil, I believe for every bad cop, there's at least 10 good ones, and I know a couple of them. There the ones that have trouble sleeping at night, when they've just been at the scene of a major car wreck, and helped to removed bodies from the wreckage.

Probably, just like Max, this will be swept under the rug and the jerk will be cleared.  Things like this make me wonder if Uglydog is onto something.

http://www.kidk.com/news/11730201.html

Just like I said above, the way the officer handled this complaint was totally against regulations:

The story about a deputy shooting a family dog raises several questions, including how many times can a dog bite or attack someone before action should be taken taken? And when is it legally okay for a dog to be put down?

The tough part here is that smaller counties, like Teton, usually don't have animal control officers. And many patrol officers don't have proper training or experience to handle animals. But as I found out from Idaho falls animal control, dealing with a vicious dog is more complex than you think.

"Rick: When is it okay for an officer to use their weapon against the dog?
Irene Brown: We would only use a weapon against a dog if the dog came at us viciously."

But other than that, its just like with a person, officers can't use force, especially deadly force, unless their directly in danger.

If a dog does bite someone,

"...the bite has to be reported to the police," says Irene Brown, the Animal Services Manager for the Idaho Falls Police Department.

Then the dog has to be quarantined for 10 days, to make sure it doesn't have rabies.

"Rabies is a fatal disease," adds Brown. "Within 10 days it will show signs."

If rabies isn't found the dog can be released back to the owner, but don't let your dog bite twice.

"According to city ordinance, after two verified bites or attacks, the dog can be deemed vicious and then the dog can be Euthanized."

If a dog is deemed vicious, the owner will have 10 days to convince a judge the dog is safe, otherwise, it will be put to sleep.

The Idaho Falls city ordinances dealing with dogs are based off of state recommendations, but Brown tells Channel 3 Eyewitness News they're in the process of revamping those laws to be more specific. She encourages you to contact animal control to give some input.

Link: http://www.kidk.com/news/11677526.html

The owner tied the dog so that the cop could shoot it?  Would you do that, even if ordered to?

The owner and the family checked the dog days later and found it alive? Would you have left your dog tied, dead, in your yard for days?  Without even checking to see if it was suffering and not dead yet?

Several other things don't make sense.  Again, there are two sides to every tale.  These owners are real winners.  The cop, if he did what is reported, is also a real winner.

I bet that the story as written above isn't even close to what actually happened.  But if it did happen close to what was reported, I bet that the dog bit or menaced a relative or friend of the cop, and he disobeyed the law.

So many questions from the above "story".  Cops are not dispatched to kill dogs on the owners property.  Animal control or maybe even a cop, would be sent to confiscate the animal and a proceeding would have to happen.

Anytime a cop fires his weapon, he must file a report about it.  Even if he misses what he was shooting at or even if it was an accidental firing.

So, where's the report info?

Too many holes to hang this cop for this alleged shooting.  A couple of holes to hang the owners for what happened to their dog.

Of course there are bad cops.  Also bad priests, ploiticians, firemen and teachers.  But, there are more bad dog owners.

This story smells all around.

Do right said everything I was thinking - ditto that.

molly

Do RIght you may be correct in civilization but this was out in the boonies.  I greay up in a similar rural area and this kind of stuff does happen..

That Sheriff needs to get a new broom and do some serious housecleaning if his deputies were sitting around joking about shooting this dog and what they would shoot it with.