by Caroline Connolly
SALT LAKE CITY — A dog was shot
and killed by Salt Lake City police in June of this year, and now the dog’s
owner says he is suing the police department for $1.5 million in damages.
Sean Kendall said police
violated his Fourth Amendment rights when an officer entered his backyard and
had a fatal encounter with Kendall’s dog, Geist. The dog was shot by the
officer, who said he felt threatened by the animal.
“Geist was my best friend for
two and a half years,” Kendall said.
Police said in the past they
believe they were justified in entering the yard, as they were searching for a
3-year-old child with disabilities who had been reported missing. That child
was later located inside the child’s home.
Kendall said the search was poorly executed and led to a violation
of his rights as well as in Geist’s
death.
Kendall had previously been
offered a settlement in the case, which he declined as he said he wanted to
focus on lobbying for change in the way officers are trained in encounters with
animals. He has been active in numerous protests regarding the way police
respond to animals.
Salt Lake City Police Department
officials declined to speak regarding the pending litigation.
FOX 13 News’ Caroline Connolly
has more on this story, see the video above for her report.
