Police kill dogs with impunity. The Puppycide Database Project estimates the number of dogs being killed by police is close to 500 dogs a day (which translates to 182,000 dogs a year). Rarely if at all do the officers face any repercussions.
Ultimately, this comes down to better and constant training in nonviolent tactics, serious consequences for those who engage in excessive force, and a seismic shift in how law enforcement agencies and the courts deal with those who transgress.
Many states are adopting laws to make canine training mandatory for police officers. Let's demand that all states adopt these laws so that police can be trained not to kill dogs. After all, as the Washington Post points out, while "postal workers regularly encounter both vicious and gregarious dogs on their daily rounds" letter carriers don't kill dogs, even though they are bitten by the thousands every year. Instead, the Postal Service offers its employees training on how to avoid bites."
And lets' demand that states institute mandatory penalties for police officers that kill dogs without clear life threatening justification.
