What's Your Take: Is This Officer Heartless or Doing His Job?

August 18, 2008

It's rare when I'm so furious I can't even talk . . . or blog for that matter. When I first heard about this story, I was positive there had to be something more — the idea that the police would pull over a person for speeding, see a dying pet, and simply say "it's just a dog, you can get another" is beyond me.

Sadly, it's the truth. Am I overreacting with my red-faced fury about this news story?

30 Comments

Indigo4320 4 years 37 weeks

I would feel irate too in this situation. The cop handled it wrong but at the same time...driving that fast is wrong too. He could have endangered human lives while trying to save his pets life. The situation is just odd to me. I've had to deal with dogs choking before and there are several ways to relieve the object from the throat. I would think that if they phoned the vet they would have told the owners what to do.

Desert 4 years 38 weeks

Yes okay, they were speeding but if any of my cats needed immediate medical attention you can bet I would be speeding and I wouldn't be stopping for any cop. Though my car isn't very fast to begin with and they could probably chase me down. But still, I can understand where they were coming from. The officer may have been doing his job, but he was way out of line. I would not have been so polite with the way I felt had it been my pet that had died and I would certainly have smacked that officer with a hefty lawsuit - causing emotional distress? I would say the officer should be suspended without pay for at least a couple of months and made to do community service at an animal shelter. At a MINIMUM.

raeleerobot 4 years 39 weeks

I started to choke up watching that video. I know that the Emergency Vet closest to me is more than 30 minutes away. If something happened to my dog, I don't know what I'd do, especially if someone else was facilitating it.

sweetpeabrina 4 years 39 weeks

Yes, I agree that the officer was an insensitive jerk. He could have escorted them *and* given them a ticket. However, he was also doing his job. The speeding car could have caused a MAJOR accident where *humans* could die. I choose human life over those of animals.

skigurl 4 years 39 weeks

terrible. i wouldn't have stopped either. my dog was bitten by a wasp in the mouth one year and i was out trying to find a 24 hour pharmacy at midnight to get him some baby benadryl and when i passed a cop going way over the speed limit i quickly devised a plan with my sister that i wouldn't stop until we got to the store, and she would run in while i explained the situation. so, a dying pet, in my mind, would be a no-brainer. my dog died 3 years ago and i'm still dying inside.

Bksuga 4 years 39 weeks

OMG!!! I WOULD HAVE PULLED OFF ONCE HE SAID YOU CAN GET ANOTHER ONE!!!! HEARTLESS *SSHOLE!!!!!

luv_bug1211 4 years 39 weeks

This is disgusting! Ya sure the guy was driving fast and acting like a person on something when he got out of the car, but he also said right away that his dog was dying! I literally felt sick to my stomach seeing this police officer do nothing about it, where is the care for anything living?! It would of taken 1 minute to check the dog and move her into the police car because obviously that guy shouldn't of been driving in the state he was in. I totally agree with what Lovely_1 said, my cats are my babies, i refer to the eldest as my first born all the time! Bah! This just makes me so angry!

K is For Kait 4 years 39 weeks

This is almost as bad as the police officer years ago who pulled over an elderly man having a heart attack and made him wait. How disgusting! I'm dating a police officer and friends with many others so I just want people to know that not every officer is this heartless and power-obsessed. They would never dream of saying such a thing!

Lovely_1 4 years 39 weeks

The way I see it is this: If you kill a police offcer dog, you are charged with KILLING A POLICE OFFICER. A PERSON. The dog is considered a PERSON. So why wasn't the dog regarded as the same here???

couture yourself 4 years 39 weeks

I do understand why the officer pulled him over, he didn't know what was going on, he was doing his job responding to an erratic driver. With that said, he should have seen the situation and helped them out a little. I realize the man was hysterical in getting out of the car, but who's to say he was that way when he was in the car? Maybe in getting pulled over, he got even more upset, and started to act irrationally, trying to explain to the officer what was going on. I definitely think they should've issued a warning, and asked them to drive a little safer, and maybe even seen that they got there safely. The police officer was extremely insensitive. I think he should definitely issue a public apology to this couple, and to the community. He completely abused the power he holds. & I have to disagree with CaterpillarGirl - I don't think it matters what problems the breed is known to have, and I don't care what the law says, my pets are my children, and this couple obviously felt the same way. Sure, they could've been a lot more safe in their driving, but still...if one of my babies was in trouble, you can bet I'd be trying to get there as quickly as possible. Like the news reporter said, there are no pet ambulances, therefore we're responsible to do what we can for them.

Stupidasscat 4 years 39 weeks

I disagree what if there was a person in the car who was dying the same consequenses would apply. I personally wouldnt have stopped til I got to the vet I'm sure the ticket wouldnt be as bad as my dog dying because once you get an animal they are like your kid they depend on you for everything like a baby an animal is not like a pair of socks that you can just say oh well i'll go get me another one.

CaterpillarGirl 4 years 39 weeks

I have to side with the Law on this one, let me tell you why: The dude was driving 100 MPH on a highway, and he says “there weren’t many cars on the road” but he could have killed someone over a dog choking. A dog, whose breed is well known for having tracheal collapse. He got out of the car raving like a mad men, and I understand his urgency but you don’t act like a nut job with a police officer who just pulled you over for going 100 MPH, he was acting like someone on some serious drugs. The officer has to look out for the safety of the community, not for the safety of a toy poodle, and in this case what he saw was a combative, hyped up man driving reckless and not behaving correctly. He shouldn’t have said “you can get another dog” that was wrong, but he also shouldn’t have just said “okay guy lets go to the vets!” and escorted him, that isn’t his JOB. Ambulances aren’t aloud to drive that fast.

Chase24 4 years 39 weeks

The cop was being a heartless SOB. I wouldn't have stopped, Chase to me is a family member, I'd do the samething if had been my mother. That be said the right thing to have done would have be to escort the couple to the vets and them give them their ticket there.

lilCROAT03 4 years 39 weeks

f*ck da police!

Lovely_1 4 years 39 weeks

The agree with Sun Sun. It is his job but neverless he was being an asshole. There were other ways he could have handled this situation without KILLING an aniamal. P.S. I wouldn't have stopped for no cop either :P

dishcatastrophe 4 years 39 weeks

I can see where both of them were coming from. I still wouldn't want to be pulled over by that cop though.

TsuKata 4 years 39 weeks

I'm completely in agreement that they deserve a ticket. I also agree that they were potentially not safe to drive. But, if that had been a child choking in the back, you can darn well bet that officer wouldn't have said, "You can have another one!" Grr. I know a dog and a child are not the same, but it's the same panic, it's the same fear, and it's the same feeling of mourning when they're gone.

JustBekky 4 years 39 weeks

UGH! 3 letters: S O B !!!!!

Frika 4 years 39 weeks

I can understanding pulling them over, but be sympathetic! I would be furious! That's like saying if you had a dying child, don't worry you can make another. My dogs are family members, and I have no shame to say that their lives are more important than many humans lives to me. I understand he was driving recklessly, but help the situation, don't make it worse.

ShePirate2010 4 years 39 weeks

OMG!!!!!! this dosen't set well with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ID SUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sentineltree 4 years 39 weeks

my dad was pulled over for speeding when my mother went into labor with me. the cop in that scenario, once seeing the situation, followed behind my still-speeding dad to make sure we got to the hospital safely. i would expect nothing less for my pet, who i regard as my child. i watched her being born, i've raised her, i love her to death. hell, i probably wouldnt pull over if it was something very serious

verily 4 years 39 weeks

The officer was doing his job. If the guy was driving 100 MPH on a 65 MPH highway, then he was driving beyond recklessly and endangering other people's lives on the road. The guy was also visibly upset enough that he could be viewed as erratic. However, the officer was also being an incredible ass. He could have issued a warning and trailed them to the vet clinic. There was no reason that it would take 20 minutes to write a ticket up.

OhFish 4 years 39 weeks

Watching the video made me feel sick and angry. They were driving too fast and deserved a speeding ticket, but maybe that police officer should be charged with animal cruelty. I could not imagine what I would do in a situation like that.

runnergeek 4 years 39 weeks

WELL SAID FOXIE! i completely agree with you. that exactly what the officer should have done. he's an idiot and i hope he loses his job. because being a police officer is not just about 'upholding the law' its about being a leader in the community. if you can't get past your power trip to give shit about your fellow citizens, then you should NOT BE A POLICE OFFICER.

foxie 4 years 39 weeks

That's horrible. What this man SHOULD have done is flip on his siren and lights and escort them to the vet quickly and safely. Unfortunately, it's too late for that and this man should have a portion of his paycheck seized and given to the local shelter.

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