Within the last week, Clackamas County sheriff's deputies responded to a call of a down pony in someone's yard. Taking it upon themselves to diagnose the aged pony as the victim of a car strike, these sheriffs shot the pony.
It was later determined that it was merely an aged pony and cherished pet that was arthritic, and the owners of the pony were grief-stricken by its demise.
As the pony posed no imminent threat to health or safety of anyone, there was no reason for the officers to rush to judgment by killing the pony.
We the undersigned call upon Sheriff Craig Roberts to alter police policy such that in the case of animals that seem sick or injured, officers will refrain from destroying or euthanizing the animal if its practical and if it is not obvious that the animal is suffering greatly until expert veterinary help arrives, except in a cases where the animal is posing an imminent threat to the immediate area or is in a lot of pain.
We also believe that resources - outside resources if necessary - should be recruited to ensure that all field personnel are skilled in appropriate management in future similar cases to safely and humanely manage them.
