Stop Shooting Innocent Family Pets: Increase Memphis Police Officer Training NOW

We the undersigned demand better and more frequent animal-control training for Memphis Police officers. We also request that steps be taken to ensure that officers will follow proper animal-control protocol when dealing with family pets.

WHY THE PETITION?

Since the beginning of 2009, Memphis Police officers have shot at least 49 dogs. The majority of these shootings could have been prevented if officers had received high-quality animal control training and had followed protocol. According to the ASPCA, Memphis has a higher rate, per capita, of dog shootings than major cities such as Los Angeles and New York City. The only way to eliminate the shooting of our family pets is to increase and improve officer training in animal control now.

LETTER TO THE MAYOR:

November 9, 2009

Dear Mayor Wharton:

On October 22, 2009, police responded to a false burglar alarm at my home in High Point Terrace. Despite being warned by my alarm company that dogs were on the premises, police entered my backyard and shot at my dogs when they ran to the officers. My dogs were behaving as any family pet naturally would upon seeing/hearing strangers in its backyard. My dogs have never attacked anyone, and I do not believe the shooting of my lab mix, Bing, was justified as the MPD has ruled.

Since the beginning of 2009, the Memphis Police Department has shot at least 49 dogs. Many of the dogs shot were not vicious; they were shot, most likely, because the police officers at hand were fearful and/or unfamiliar with dogs. These shootings could have been prevented if the police officers had received high-quality animal control training.

I have been told that the Memphis Police Department has received regular training in animal handling and dog confrontations over the last decade. If this is true, the training does not seem to have stemmed the rate of anti-protocol dog shootings by MPD officers, which is significantly higher in Memphis, per capita, than in major cities like New York and Los Angeles.
With a higher rate of family pet shootings, we as a city need to make a change in police training. Better and more frequent animal control training is the only way we are going to eliminate family pet shootings in the city of Memphis. (Watching a video on vicious dogs is insufficient; officers need hands-on experience with a variety of family pets and training with animal professionals so that they can deal with every animal they encounter humanely.)

Mayor Wharton, I implore you to increase the quality and frequency of animal control training for the Memphis Police Department immediately. I also request that you to take steps to insure officers will follow protocol when dealing with family pets.

You have done so much for animals in the city of Memphis already with your changes at the Memphis Animal Shelter. With increased and improved training for officers, I know the City of Memphis can prevent future unnecessary cruelty to animals. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Anna Bolton
220 Eastland