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Title: Kansas Cop Kills Army Veteran’s Service Dog, then Issues him Two Citations
Source:
Photography Is Not a Crime
URL Source: https://photographyisnotacrime.com/ ... 0Army%20Veteran%27s%20Service%
Published: Apr 18, 2017
Author: Ben Keller
Post Date: 2017-04-19 10:51:28 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 20426
Comments: 131
A Kansas cop shot and killed the service dog of an army veteran who suffers from PTSD on Thursday, according to the Daily Haze. Augusta police officer Devon Keith says he was forced to shoot Alan Fitzgerald’s dog “Midnite” claiming the dog charged an animal control officer after ramming a door until it opened – making the animal control officer fear for his life. But Fitzgerald said his dog didn’t do anything wrong and officer Keith shot him for no reason. Alan Fitzgerald and his service dog, Midnite, before a cop shot and killed it. Neighbors who witnessed the shooting said the animal control officer was the one who opened the door and began acting aggressively towards the dog before shooting it. Augusta police, along with animal control, showed up at Fitzgerald’s house Thursday afternoon after a neighbor called to complain about a German Shepard. Fitzgerald said Midnite got out on Thursday, presumably chasing rabbits and cats as he often did. Midnite ended up several mobile homes down from his home, hovering over a neighbor’s small dog. “It’s how he plays,” Fitzgerald explained. Fitzgerald talked to the small dog’s owner, who said the smaller dog wasn’t hurt, just “shaken up” from Midnite towering over it. Things settled and Fitzgerald returned home and was in the shower when he heard Midnite bark and then gunshots. “All of a sudden, I heard this pound pound pound on the screen door,” Fitzgerald recalled. “And I heard Midnite barking, obviously he’s going to bark because he’s guarding the house. All of a sudden then I heard shots fired and I heard my dog screaming in agony.” Fitzgerald came out to see what was going on only to have a gun pointed at him inside of his own house. “I got halfway out the door, and about right here where this crack is, there’s an officer standing with his gun pointed at me. I said ‘what are you guys doing here, why did you kill my dog?’ he said, ‘Get on the ground’, I said, ‘I’m not gonna get on the ground so I went inside and slammed the door,” he told KSN. August Police Chief Tyler Brewer defended officer Keith. “The animal control officer felt in fear for his life,” the chief said. “These officers feel horrible for having to do that.” According to chief Brewer, when the animal control officer knocked on the door, Midnite answered. “The front door was open but the glass screen door was shut,” Brewer explained. “The dog rushed and hit the glass of the screen door and startled the animal control officer.” Officer Keith was forced to shoot Midnite when the animal control officer fell off the porch, hitting his head, trying to bite the officer, according to Brewer. Midnite But Fitzgerald’s neighbor Charmin Drake says the dog got out because the animal control officer actually opened the door, not Midnite, then entered without a warrant and began kicking and even hitting Midnite with a baton. After beating the dog, officers went outside and shot Midnite. Then they issued Fitzgerald two citations for having a vicious animal. Fitzgerald rescued Midnight in 2015 and obtained an ADA service dog certificate, which required the dog to pass behavioral tests without showing signs of aggression, and said he had Midnite for his PTSD. “Whenever I was having some sort of episode of oncoming anxiety, he knew what to do. He’d come up and nudge me or do something silly. He’d turn over on his back and give that little smile, you know, that dogs give. I’m just going to miss all of that.” Check out the Daily Haze interview with Alan Fitzgerald below. Poster Comment: “The animal control officer felt in fear for his life,” the chief said. Of course he did - the frigging sadistic coward.
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#97. To: All (#0)
I guess after reading this story I wonder how this dog got certified to be a service dog when it seems to be so aggressive? Then I notice you just register a dog and it becomes registered as Service Dog. To me it sounds like a scam to me. Kinda of a backdoor get to take my animal anywhere and you can not object! Landlord you can not say a damn thing but you still are liable for aggressive dogs actions!!!
I was thinking that this story of a service dog being aggressive sounded funny to me. Looked it up and all you have to do from what I have seen is just fill out paperwork and you can get any animal certified. I thought to get certified as a "service dog" you had to have real training but I guess not. This is a landlord, business owner and insurance nightmare.
#99. To: Justified (#98)
Fitzgerald rescued Midnight in 2015 and obtained an ADA service dog certificate, which required the dog to pass behavioral tests without showing signs of aggression...
I too became intrigued while participating on this thread to learn about service dogs since I basically only knew there were such animals used for special purposes. I found the same as you did and also discovered a hundred or so places online where all you do is fill out a form and pay money to register a dog in 3 or 4 different “Assistant Dog” categories. Because of the ongoing discussion on this thread, I concentrated on Kansas for information and found sites with some good info….including one with the Kansas law. What I found to be ironic is that you need no identification to show a dog is an assistance dog and legally no one can ask you for anything to show identification or certification. All you need do is say the magic words “this is a service dog” and all businesses must let you in with your dog. I also found out a business owner can kick your dog out only if it becomes unruly disruptive or if it is not house broken then pisses or shits in the business establishment. I discovered something to be true that I have long suspected. While the original intended purpose of assistant dogs were necessary and noble, starting with the dogs who assist the blind, I find the concept has now been prostituted….as was the “handicap parking” procedure also prostituted. I feel sure you have seen as many situations as I have where assholes took dogs that one could see definitely did not qualify as assistant dogs into restaurants and food stores when they should not have….and spry young people placing a handicap placard on the mirror of their vehicle, only the then jump out and run into a store. Yes, it is definitely as you say: “This is a landlord, business owner and insurance nightmare.”
That was what service dogs were supposed to be. But they rapidly expanded it so people can have service parrots, service ferrets, service iguanas, etc.
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#98. To: Gatlin, Tooconservative (#97)
Replies to Comment # 98. I thought to get certified as a "service dog" you had to have real training but I guess not.
#101. To: Justified, Tooconservative (#98)
I was thinking that this story of a service dog being aggressive sounded funny to me. Looked it up and all you have to do from what I have seen is just fill out paperwork and you can get any animal certified. I thought to get certified as a "service dog" you had to have real training but I guess not. This is a landlord, business owner and insurance nightmare.
#106. To: Justified (#98)
I thought to get certified as a "service dog" you had to have real training but I guess not. This is a landlord, business owner and insurance nightmare.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 98.
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