A police officer shot and killed a family dog that was in its own yard after the pit bull got into a fight with her K-9.
The incident occurred in Detroit, Michigan, where Detroit Police Department officers were searching a neighborhood for a gun that a suspect had allegedly left behind.
When the officer in question passed by a family home together with her K9, a white pit bull followed them from behind the fence before approaching the police dog that stepped towards the railing as the officer walked by.
According to TMZ, the DPD informed them that the pit bull then bit the K9 on its nose through the fence and refused to let go.
Just seconds later, the officer, who appeared to be struggling to get the two dogs apart, pulled out her gun and shot the pit bull.
Following the deadly incident, the police defended the officer’s actions and told TMZ they have no intention of disciplining the cop.
“Her partner was being attacked and we demand that our officers protect not only themselves but their partners and citizens,” DPD Commander Darin Szilagyi said in an interview with the Detroit Free Press.
“At this point it was a clear and present danger; her dog was being viciously harmed. It’s unfortunate it came to this, we don’t like to see any animal hurt.”
As the police commander went on to say, there wouldn’t be a problem if the owner kept their dog in the backyard.
“I’m a dog lover, I own several dogs, I have a responsibility to protect the public from my animals, just like anyone else. Keep your dogs in the backyards and this won’t be an issue,” Szilagyi said.
After the incident went viral some people were quick to bash the police officer and accuse her of animal abuse. Others, however, suggested that the dog was rightfully put down for biting the K9 through the fence even though it was on its own territory.
“A Detroit police officer shot someone’s dog that posed no threat inside its own fence after he lost control of his own K9,” Julian Castro, a former presidential candidate, wrote in a Twitter post.
“This officer should be held accountable. He should be fired and prosecuted.”
Another angry user suggested the officer should be fired and charged. “I live on the outskirts of Detroit, and these cops need fired and charged with animal abuse,” they tweeted.
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