Des Plaines Family Wants Answers About Dog Shooting

By Prescott Carlson in News on May 21, 2010 9:45PM

The Darrey family in suburban Des Plaines is outraged after a police officer shot and killed their dog, Bowzer, a 40 pound beagle and cocker spaniel mix.

According to the Daily Herald, the officer was responding to a domestic dispute call when he says Bowser and the Darrey's other family dog attacked him, and he fired two shots at the dog. Des Plaines Police Deputy Chief of Operations Michael Kozak told the paper that "officers are trained to shoot and kill when attacked by a vicious animal. They are not trained to disable." Kozak added, "An officer has an absolute right to defend himself." The Darreys deny that their dogs were acting aggressively and a threat to the officer.

The Darreys are currently weighing their legal options -- a senior vice president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was quoted as saying he's "seen lawsuits [regarding similar situations] approaching a million dollars." The ASPCA is currently conducting a campaign to help train police on alternative non-lethal methods to subdue a dog.