Police kill family pet during search warrant, find nothing

Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force agents, aided by a uniformed Willits police officer, serving a search warrant at 64 Franklin Avenue on July 27, shot and killed a family pet, an 8-year-old half-pit bull mix named Tonka.

When agents searched the home, they found nothing directly linking the residents to the arrest of Craig Anthony Gelber, the target of the search, according to MMCTF Commander Bob Nishiyama.

According to resident Anna White, Tonka's owner, the police shot her pet while it was in a fenced area on her front porch. "We found the shell casing outside by the fence area. Tonka then ran into our house, got onto my bed and died."

Lots more at link:

www.willitsnews.com...

I did not see this one listed in search, although there are a lot of instances of police shooting dogs here lately.

A lot of the no knock search warrant executions resemble home invasion robberies. In fact, I'd say all of them do pretty much.

I'm sure nothing will come of this. A lot of the times nothing comes of it when cops shoot people during these home invasions. Just a sign of the times we're living in.

As always two sides to every story.

From your link

Tonka was on the porch when officers approached the residence. According to Nishiyama, the homeowner was inside the home and the dog charged down the stairs, barking and snarling at the officer, who fired in self-defense. All three dogs then took off into the home.

I don't have an issue with this.

reply to post by elevatedone


"According to resident Anna White, Tonka's owner, the police shot her pet while it was in a fenced area on her front porch. "We found the shell casing outside by the fence area."

You are ok with the police shooting a dog in a fenced area...like fish in a barrel, huh?

Animals are still living creatures and should not be so quickly discarded, even with a warrant.

reply to post by TonyClifton


Its evil to shoot a dog that has not attacked or hurt anyone!!
I can understand if the dog mauled the officer but, how is the dog to know the difference between an officer and an intruder??

Id go ballistic if ANYONE shot or hurt my dog!

Originally posted by elevatedone
As always two sides to every story.

From your link

Tonka was on the porch when officers approached the residence. According to Nishiyama, the homeowner was inside the home and the dog charged down the stairs, barking and snarling at the officer, who fired in self-defense. All three dogs then took off into the home.

I don't have an issue with this.

You don't?

Armed men approach your home in a stressful situation, tensions are high, and your loyal guarddog does its duty by running toward the intruders, on your private property, and allowing you time to evade. Everything you and the dog did was appropriate, legal, predictable, and well within your rights.

On the other side you have a questionable warrant, an armed group of men acting aggressively. They are well-trained, well protected, and they have the luxury of pre-planning for every possible scenario that might arise.

Who do you think the responsibility for the dog's safety resides with?

Ridiculous double standard for police. They don't protect anyone anymore, they're here for control and revenue collection.

If you kill a police dog regardless of the circumstances, it's considered murdering a police officer right? Can you imagine getting life in prison for even accidentally killing a dog that's attacking you?

Go ahead, defend that stupidity.

reply to post by Paschar0


I totally agree with you here... if a member of public killed a police dog they would get nicked and charged for murder!! or at least get a lengthy jail sentance but this officer who shot this member of publics dog wont get no punishment at all, probably get a pat on the back from his fellow officers!!!

I agree that the cops were wrong for shooting the dog. If they had a warrant, they should also have had some knowledge the dogs would be there. Prepare, get a tranquilizer gun and tranq the animals to prevent harm to them and the cops.

Just walking up to someone's house and killing the dogs who try to protect the residence is pretty ridiculous. It would be one thing if they ran in after a murderer on the spur of the moment but with a warrant they had time to prepare.

In some cases cops act like they ARE the law, or they are ABOVE the law, rather than law enforcers.

You shoot my dog?

I'm going to see the gun and not the badge.

Officer's not walking away.

I may not either.

But don't # with my dog.

reply to post by Miraj


Internet tough guy, huh?

I'm sure it would go down just as you state...

reply to post by Illusionsaregrander


Exactly Right!

If they had a warrant, and they had a team, then they didn't need to shoot anything. They could have gotten the owner to put the dogs away, they could have come with animal control officers. They could have served the warrant peacefully.

I have relayed a story many times on ATS where my PitBull attacked a SWAT team coming to serve a warrant at my house. They arrested my parents on some bogus complaint from another state and it wound up costing a prosecutor her job! Anyhow, when the dog growled at the back door, my wife let him out, he took off like a bullet, men hollered and climbed over the fence and a knock came to the front door. The LEOs were kind, cordial, careful, and helpful. They served their warrant, they made there arrest, they apologized for interrupting our evening, and they applauded the dog for being so alert and so fast! The men were laughing when they left, because a couple of them got a real quick workout getting over that 6ft wood fence in full gear! I commend my local law enforcement for a job well done!

Not all LEOs are bad. The one that shot that dog should have a whole lot of bad luck orchestrated by Karma, or some lucky agent of Karma! If my situation had turned out the way this situation turned out, I can guarantee that I would personally assist Karma in serving many, many cold dishes of revenge until the guilty LEO was retired, disabled, or on the run!

[edit on 10-8-2010 by getreadyalready]

reply to post by LadySkadi


Well. What would you do if someone kicked your door down and then shot your dog?

As I don't have a fenced patio.

I love my dog, she's family. Someone hurt your family, would you let them walk away knowing they wouldn't suffer for it?

reply to post by Miraj


Well, let's just say I wouldn't pull a gun on a group of cops who kick a door in and enter (guns drawn) if that's the scenario you describe.

Originally posted by Miraj
reply to post by LadySkadi

 

Well. What would you do if someone kicked your door down and then shot your dog?

As I don't have a fenced patio.

I love my dog, she's family. Someone hurt your family, would you let them walk away knowing they wouldn't suffer for it?

Yes! For a time being. You let them walk away, you apologize for the incident, you declare your forgiveness, you buy a new dog, and to all outward appearances you are the bigger person!

Then 6 months or a year down the road, when you are not facing a highly trained armed team of men in full battle regalia.....then you begin to plot justice. Then, on a cold, clear head, free from the heat of the moment....then you do whatever strikes you as appropriate, and you do it in a manner that never makes you a suspect. In fact, if you are ever questioned or informed of the incident, you have a personal connection to the officer, and you should be there to show your concern and support as a 'friend'!!

reply to post by TonyClifton


She says the dog was fenced... the police says not. I believe the police.

[edit]
Fixed spelling

Solution:

Shoot my dog, I shoot your pig!

Seriously, this is sad that the dog was shot. Even sadder that a cop is afraid of the dog. Anybody got any good "cop gets mauled by dog" stories?

At a minimum, I would expect the PD to pay for the replacement cost of the dog. AND get to the bottom of why a warrant was issued to the wrong house.

reply to post by getreadyalready




True.

Although I'm not going to be listening to the words "Police" after someone bursts into my house with guns, and fires them.

That's a home invasion, not a search warrant. And it's not like a criminal has never claimed to be police amidst a robbery.

But there is no "cost of replacing my dog". You can't replace family.. Although I guess you can try.

Originally posted by elevatedone
reply to post by TonyClifton

 

She says the god was fenced... the police says not. I believe the police.

My pitbull left a cartoonesque hole in a chainlink fence one day! He was in a little pen while we built the wood fence and the house was still being finished. A dumptruck dumped a load of dirt right on the edge of his pen, and I suppose the lid probably slammed pretty loud while a mound of dirt spilled into his fence. When I came home from work, the dog was on the porch, and the pen had a dog shaped hole right through the chain link!

In other words, her and the police could both be telling the truth, but the responsibility of safety for everyone (including the dog) lies with the well-trained, highly armored, aggressive, and armed Public Servants!! The responsibility does not lie with a loyal home defender and a scared and surprised lady in the house!

reply to post by elevatedone


I just re-read the article and I couldn't find anywhere that the police said The dog's owner was lying about the fenced patio or that the police stated there was no fence.

Perhaps, you could show me where it stated that?

reply to post by TonyClifton


I quoted it in my first post in this thread