On the afternoon of Sunday, November 7, 2010, a Des Moines resident glanced through the sliding glass door out to the back yard to find a dog wondering about the back yard. Dogs have previously wondered into the yard before but, what differentiated the situation was that this was a very, very large, plentifully haired dog resembling a black Great Pyrenees.
The resident called out to the dog in attempt to look at any tags he may have. The dog responded by quickly trotting amid the blackberry bushes stopping suddenly to peer at her around the corner. As she called out, the dog stood frozen as he stared at her with his big eyes, he was terrified.
The resident looked toward the street in attempt to find any sign of an owner; instead, a police officer appeared asking if a big dog had been seen in the area. The resident responded affirmatively and that the dog was in her back yard. The gates that had been opened earlier in the day were now closed; assumingly the big dog was trapped.
The police officer radioed the dog's location to a nearby fellow officer who immediately opened and walked through the front gates holding a hand gun. Two additional officers came into the back yard carrying guns, including one sniper rifle.
The resident stated the officers didn't ask them if there were any other animals or any children in the yard before they got on their knees in shooting stance. To this, the resident's small terrier sensed the commotion and was sniffing restlessly about the back yard. The resident was trying to ease the terrier back into the house before the officers fired. The officers demanded the resident back into the house immediately. Refusing to let their pet wander in front of friendly fire, with a bribe the resident coerced the small terrier into the house successfully.
The residents closed the curtains and demanded the children to go into a room on the opposite side of the house as one gunshot rang. The big dog was hit by the gunshot and, inside the house ears were covered as the big dog yelped and cried out in pain. During so, the resident
had forgotten that the garage door was still open from an earlier task and the terrier again ran outside. Again he was coerced back into the house with a bribe.
Three additional shots were fired at the big dog, killing it. Four gunshots were fired in all.
Afterward, an officer knocked on the door asking if the children were inside and away from the windows since they were going to be removing the dead dog from the property. Subsequently another officer knocked, asking if it would be okay to bring a truck into the back yard since the officer explained "it won't fit in our car; we have never had one this big before". The resident approved and asked if the dog had bitten anyone. The officer replied "no, but it had been trying
to" and continued with "we already tased it twice today".
The street outside the house was lined with the flashing lights of police cars. The animal control truck arrived and each officer grabbed a leg and pulled the dog from the bushes to the truck.
An officer knocked on the back door to apologize for the occurrence and gave coupons for free ice cream cones and a business card. The officer then explained that the city should be contacted if any damage had been done to the property.
So forth, one would think without assumption that prior to opening fire, police officers would properly notify a resident of the officers' intent, and do so in a timely manner to ensure that everyone and everything was safely inside the house and away from danger. And that the resident would have time to ensure that all doors and curtains were closed so that the children, among others would not be subjected, if preferred.
Rightfully the resident questions why the dog was not tranquillized then removed from the property. Why Animal Control was not at the scene at any time except only to pick up the dogs remains and, if the dog's owner is aware of what had taken place. There is the obvious question as if the dog needed to be killed and if so did he need to be shot.
Lastly, attributable to lack of information, consideration or compassion there are other unanswered questions inclusive as to if this was a game of cat and mouse? Were at least three police officers actually needed to remedy this situation? Have the officers in question ever shot their guns before? Do any of these officers have any pets, or children of their own? Simply said, the damage my property is my last concern.

Lora Perry
Des Moines