Police shoot dog during West Bay warrant operation

| 01/08/2017 | 42 Comments

(CNS): A dog was shot in the leg by police during a West Bay operation on Saturday evening after it latched itself on to the armed officer’s leg, and repeated attempts to find the owner to call off three unleashed dogs failed. Police were in the Boatswain Bay area of the district trying to execute a court warrant for a wanted man. While visiting the suspect’s address the dogs, all pit bulls, ran aggressively towards one of the officers. Police called to a man in a nearby yard whom they believed to be the dogs’ owner, telling him to call off the dogs but he didn’t respond.

One of the pit bulls jumped on the officer’s leg while the others ran toward him. Despite his yells for someone to call off the dogs it became clear they were not under anyone’s control. As a result he shot the dog clinging to his leg, and all three dispersed. Officers tracked down a man connected with the owner of the dogs, who advised that the animal’s injury did not appear life threatening. The police recommended he take the dog to the vet. The RCIPS provided the family with contact information for their unit commander.

Police said that the incident is now under investigation in line with police procedures after a firearm discharge, with a file to be produced for the director of public prosecutions to review.  The incident is also being investigated for breaches of the Animal Law, specifically Section 44 (2015 Revision), having a dog dangerously out of control.

Tags:

Category: Local News

Comments (42)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    to be honest with how crime is around this place. I would rather have the pit bulls patrolling the yard for anyone attempting to commit a crime on my property. Just saying. criminals would think twice about entering your yard or house.

  2. Anonymous says:

    The police need to start charging bad pet owners who do not have their dogs inside their property or on a leash with significant fines – over $1,000. I live in a complex which is not gated with no fence between properties. Yet some pet owner have their dogs outside without leashes 24 hours a day. 1 in particular growls at other residents including kids. All the dogs are pest – damaging property, pooping everywhere and making a mess of garbage etc, The owners have been notified and do nothing. Maybe because there a a few police officers in the complex and they also do nothing. Traps have been set and it takes weeks to catch one dog and then the very next day the dog is back free in the complex. It is very frustrating!!

  3. Anonymous says:

    All the bleeding heart animal lovers need to hush. The officers life was in danger, for God sake he is probably someone’s father out doing his job protecting and serving a bunch of ingrates! Pit bulls are dangerous dogs and nobody can argue with the statistics of attacks worldwide. Why is it Golden retrievers don’t have a bad reputation ? Because they don’t randomly attack people

    21
    1
  4. Anonymous says:

    If the dogs were ‘unleashed’ in the yard then I don’t see what the problem is, they are in somebodies yard not in public. The majority of dogs will protect or attempt to protect their territory from strangers (from Yorkies and French Bulldogs to Dobermans and Pit Bulls, essentially any size or breed, so leave off the breed stereotyping). The police officers should have scouted the yard before entering and taken the necessary precautions.

    Obviously if the yard isn’t enclosed then that’s an issue as the dogs can be deemed ‘out of control’.

    19
    18
    • Fred the Piemaker says:

      If the yard was enclosed it deals with the leash issue. However it does not deal with the fact that the dog bit the officer, or the fact that it is a banned breed in Cayman.

      26
      4
    • Anonymous says:

      8:57 am , Pit Bull dogs are against the law in Cayman, so the owner should be prosecuted for having that kind of dogs , period, and the pit bulls dogs should be put down.

      19
      1
  5. Sharkey says:

    I think that some people needs to read and understand all Laws , and duties of Law Enforcement officials works in those Laws . As I read that someone thinks that because it’s a gated community that Police Officers has NO rights to enter the property . Sorry bro go back and read the Police Officers Laws and rights in those Laws if you can .

    I think that the person who believe that because it’s a gated community that the Police have to ask or give notice of entry , you are wrong and must think that you’re living in some other Country . Cayman islands would be more respectful if everyone complies with the Laws of Cayman islands , and stop living in Cayman islands and implying some other Country mentality in Cayman islands .

    18
    10
    • Anonymous says:

      You are ridiculous, bro. Here’s a non-pet related example as to what was wrong with this situation…Say I have bright security lights (perfectly legal) in MY yard to deter unwanted entry into MY yard. I would not expect a police officer to shoot MY security measures in MY yard due to the light startling them as they weren’t expecting it in this unknown yard they have just entered. The lights don’t see a uniform, just as a dog won’t, therefore reasonable precautions should be taken. If the dogs were in a gated yard (I’m assuming this is what the poster meant rather than community) then the officer should have ensured the animals were under control BEFORE entering.

      Basically you are saying that any dog not on a leash in somebodies OWN yard is open game if an officer feels threatened? Without an attempt to control the dogs BEFORE entering the yard? I seriously hope you don’t have any pets.

      16
      18
      • Fred the Piemaker says:

        So a police officer trying to exercise a warrant has to wait outside until the owner – possibly the subject of the warrant – decides to tie up his dogs, if he decides he is going to do it at all? Yeah, that’ll work.

        26
        3
        • Anonymous says:

          Considering there has been two dogs shot and one officer bitten in less than a year I would have thought that the RCIPS would have implemented some protocols or found a solution to prevent the bites or dog deaths involved in exercising warrants. It’s unnecessary on both sides.

          8
          5
      • Sharkey says:

        You are ridiculous , go and read the animals owner Laws , you’re trying to manipulate the Islands Laws in your favor . Just like killing someone INSIDE THE HOUSE , it would then be self-defense , but not if you did it in your yard .

        6
        3
      • Anonymous says:

        The police is allowed to break down a door to premises they are trying to enter under warrant. If this is the case then they can certainly shoot a light out (which is a ridiculous analogy) or subdue a threatening dog.

        10
        2
      • Sharkey says:

        I do own two very big and good dogs that probably lives better than you that eats their food and bones and not people , but don’t try to come in my house .

        8
        4
      • Anonymous says:

        Lights don’t bite people. The Officer would not have shot the dog if it had not bitten him. It is not as if he shot the other two. Unless your lights can physically hurt people, your analogy doesn’t make any sense.

  6. Sharkey says:

    This is what happens when we let a problem get out of control , it’s get worse . I would say that the Police should have shot first and asked questions later . Pit bulls are bad dogs , but their owners makes them worse . I hope that this owner gets a chance to be made an example of .

    49
    24
    • Anonymous says:

      Pit bulls are not bad dogs. They are some of the most tolerant breeds around children. Only idiots breed them to fight.

      58
      26
      • Anonymous says:

        Pit Bulls are listed as a “dangerous dog breed” and are not allowed to be bred or owned in Cayman. How are these dogs even here. The law is the law. either get it changed or the police have to ensure it is followed

        14
        1
    • Supa says:

      EXACTLY! I THINK HE SHOULD’VE USED A WARNING SHOT.

      16
      31
  7. Anonymous says:

    Souls of no society. We’re coming.

    8
    4
  8. Anonymous says:

    The Officers concerned did the right thing. The owner was lucky the dog was only shot in the leg. I would have shot him dead. These dogs are dangerous! It’s disgraceful that the owner failed to keep these dogs under control. That could have been a child it attacked and would have caused serious damage if not death. Any dog that attacks in the U.K. Is euthanised immediately. This is a blatant dislike of Police especially as they asked for help during this attack and there was no response. What kind of person would see this and not help. Definitely not a law abiding citizen that’s for sure. It’s not as easy as you think being a Police Officer. So all you people that nit pick about RCIPS take a step back, because you don’t know the half of what they have to put up with.

    89
    14
  9. Anonymous says:

    Sit bobo sit

    23
    8
  10. Anonymous says:

    The owners can pay the vet bill on their own. They should not expect to be reimbursed for unleashed dogs.
    Wait. I’m curious if the officer was in the dogs pen?

    28
    11
  11. Caymanian enforcement says:

    The owner should be charged! Convicted! Sent to prison for either GBH or wounding!

    The other dogs should be taken from the owner and unfortunately put down as it’s not the dogs fault for being aggressive..

    55
    17
  12. Anonymous says:

    Seize the dogs and destroy them before they attack a child or other vulnerable person!!!

    55
    14
  13. Anonymous says:

    Umm, how about charging the human dog responsible. Would we ever consider that?

    66
    5
  14. Anonymous says:

    Why are there so many pit bulls in West Bay, I wonder.

    49
    10
  15. Anonymous says:

    What great restraint on the part of the officer, if this was the US all the dogs would of been shot and the owner too for good measure nice to see the RCIPS have this kind of patience and respect

    56
    11
  16. Anonymous says:

    Dog lives matter! Dog owner should be arrested for letting them run free. Especially Pit bulls! Or is the owner untouchable?

    61
    5
  17. Anonymous says:

    All wrong here – the officer should have killed the dog. Too many of these illegal dogs around.

    45
    26
  18. Anonymous says:

    He should have shot the dog before the bite occurred and shot the owner too. Get well soon officer.

    43
    20
  19. Anonymous says:

    WTF? No arrest for prohibited breed? No arrest for danger to the public/officer? No arrest for animal cruelty for failing to seek medical attention for an injured pet?

    We are becoming a third world disaster area at the hands of a police force who will not even enforce the law when breaches of it bite them in the ass.

    I hope the officer is OK – but can we please start demanding some standards around here?

    70
    4
  20. Anonymous says:

    Yup another failure by consecutive Governments to uphold the laws regarding dog ownership and that they must be secured. You can’t even walk your own well trained and leashed dog in your own neighborhood because you have to fear the attack of so many dogs which are just left to roam around. Truly a 3rd world country.

    67
    4

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.