The photo above is a tragic case in which a little boy’s dog, Eazy, was shot and killed by police when they entered the wrong house.
Tragically, it is estimated that every 98 minutes a dog is shot by law enforcement in the United States; which is devastating for both the family and for the police officer involved.
Fortunately, there are steps being taken to remedy this no-win situation.
Currently, in California, there is a bill in the Assembly Appropriations Committee that, when passed, will mark a significant leap forward in addressing the problem.
AB 1199 The Police And Canine Encounters Act will require mandatory in-service canine encounter training to California peace officers on how to both quickly and safely respond to unexpected situations when encountering a dog.
“We need to proactively train police officers to ensure that they feel safe, and our family dogs are safe,” stated the bill’s author Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian.
Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian discussing the bill with media during April 21, 2017 AB 1199 Press Conference
Your help is now needed to help turn this life-saving bill into life-saving law!
For the sake of the dogs, their families and police officers throughout the state, WAN is joining the bill’s sponsor California animal advocacy group, Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL) in urging people to call in their support of AB 1199 to Assembly Appropriations Committee chair, Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher at (916) 319-2080.
The passage of AB 1199 will also “bring California one step closer to take the lead as the most humane state in the U.S,” said Katie Cleary, Founder and President of Peace 4 Animals and World Animal News.
Katie Cleary interviewing SCIL’s Judie Mancuso for WAN at April 21, 2017 AB 1199 Press Conference
The comprehensive training, which has already been successfully implemented by states such as Texas and Colorado, covers many areas including how to better understand the behavior and body language of dogs; tactical considerations and best practices during encounters involving dogs; safe and appropriate use of non-lethal force in handling dog encounters; and supplementary training two years after the original instruction.
“Shocking information furnished by various California law enforcement agencies indicate that at least one-half of all intentional discharges of a firearm by an officer involve animals, primarily dogs,” said Simone Reyes Vice President, Social Compassion In Legislation. “This bill is personal. This law protects the dogs in our own homes. Cops want this training and our dogs deserve it.”
“The public has long been demanding canine encounter training,” said Judie Mancuso, Founder and President of Social Compassion In Legislation. “The time has come!”
More relevant statistics can be found at The Problem of Dog-Related Incidents and Encounters-DOJ.
