VA Police Shoot & Kill 11 year old Doxie

Danville, Virginia police shot and killed an 11-year-old, 12 pound Miniature Dachshund named “Killer” on June 8, 2009.

Killer was the household pet of the Harper family. Angela Harper stated that the Danville police officer told her, "Your dog was barking at me, and I had to shoot him.". Family member Tawaiin Harper said the officer stated, "I don’t care what kind of dog it is. I shot him."

Click here to Sign a Petition for Justice for Killer or send a letter and/or email to:

Chief of Police-Philip A Broadfoot
City of Danville
Police Department
427 Patton St.
Danville, VA 24541
Phone: (434) 799-6510
Email: danvillepd@ci.danville.va.us

Danville police admit their officer shot and killed the dog after they say the dog attacked him while he was serving warrants in the neighborhood. The police will not identify the officer who killed the dog. The officer's supervisor, a lieutenant, "was very, very remorseful," Harper said. "He kept apologizing. And he said, 'I know apologizing can't bring the dog back, but I just don't know what to say."

Neighbors said that “Killer” sounds like a ferocious name, but he was a sweet, neighborhood dog. "He just kind of walked up and down the neighborhood and didn't bother anybody," said Jenine Edmunds, who lives on the same cul-de-sac as Killer's owners, "He was just a little house dog."

Whenever a car pulled into the cul-de-sac, Killer barked to let everyone know that someone new was there. "He was the security guard around here," Angela Harper said.

Killer was outside of his owner's property when he was shot in nearby Ebony McNear’s front yard. “It’s a loss to the neighborhood as well as the family,” McNear said. “I just don’t think him being shot was necessary.“ The owners agree. Words can’t describe how he’ll be missed,“ Angela Harper said.

Killer’s collar is still hanging on a light post outside the Harper’s home.

Here is a Danville VA Police Press Release:

On Monday evening at approximately 8:30PM, a Danville police officer attempted to serve two outstanding warrants on a resident in the 100 block of Berman Drive. The officer went to the door of the wanted person, but there was no answer and he left. As the officer was walking back to his police vehicle, he was surprised by a growling dog running through the yard directly at him from the rear, leaving him with just seconds to consider his options (run for the safety of the police vehicle, attempt to distract the dog from its attack, try to use pepper spray or baton, or use his firearm). As the dog lunged at the officer and attacked him, he was able to draw and fire his weapon once. The bullet struck and killed the dog.

The investigation revealed that the dog was named “Killer”, was a Dachshund, had displayed aggressive tendencies before to others, and belonged at the house next door to where the officer was attempting to serve the warrant.

The Danville Police Department realizes that the shooting of a small breed dog is unusual and will be the subject of much discussion in the community. Officers are constantly confronted by dogs because part of the job of being a police officer entails approaching homes, walking through yards, and climbing over fences. We successfully defuse these encounters on a daily basis without resorting to the use of a firearm. Members of the Department received training in 2006 sponsored by the Danville Humane Society and the American Humane Association and learned several techniques to defuse aggressive behavior in dogs. Unfortunately, as the training acknowledged, options are limited when dealing with a dog that is engaged in a running attack from the rear without warning.

Shooting a dog which is actively presenting a threat to an officer is within the department’s policy. An officer is not required to “take a bite” from any dog, including small breeds, because any breaking of the skin can transmit rabies. If the attacking dog cannot be identified and captured and quarantined after the attack, the officer must take a series of rabies vaccine shots. Rabies is a fatal disease that cannot be reversed. An infected person cannot wait and see if they have rabies and then take the shots.

In the few seconds before the attack, most officers will not decide to “take a bite” in the hopes that the dog can be identified, captured, and quarantined. It is unreasonable to expect an officer to factor into his decision making process during an attack the likelihood of a successful identification, capture, and quarantine after the attack.

Source: wsls.com, paws4life, timesdispatch.com