ATLANTA | Too often a pet snarling to protect its home or owner is killed by law-enforcement officers due to misunderstanding or lack of training, according to a lawmaker who introduced legislation Thursday to require training.
Rep. Tommy Benton, R-Jefferson, introduced House Bill 803 along with Democrats Margaret Kaiser of Atlanta and Karla Drenner of Avondale Estates to save more of those dogs.
“We’re having a good many animals put down, shot by police officers,” Benton said.
Benton said he learned of the ongoing problem in Atlanta from the friend of a constituent.
In most cases, dogs are merely acting on instinct, he said.
The training in how to “negotiate encounters with animals and the ways in which a peach officer can control and neutralize an animal” would be part of new officer’s basic instruction. Veterans would have to get it when they return for their existing refresher course requirements.
“I think it’s good practice because these animals are pets,” Benton said. “For the most part they’re not vicious. They don’t know people, and so in some cases the first reaction is to shoot them.”
via Lawmaker wants police to take training on dealing with protective pets | members.jacksonville.com.
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