SPECIAL REPORT: Don't Shoot My Dog


By Ariel Rothfield, Reporter

Everyday Ginger and Jeremy Sweat make a trip to a memorial in the back of their Mason County home.
“When I lay my head down at night I pray that it doesn't happen to anyone else,” said Ginger.
The memorial is a tribute to their 7-year-old dog Willy Pete who was shot and killed by West Virginia State Police in late June.
“He was my best friend, there is no other way around it,” she said. “When we come home from somewhere I expect to see him come galloping towards me, to greet me. I expect him to come when I'm feeding my other dog.”
According to Ginger, Willy Pete was an arthritic beagle-basset hound mix. The dog was shot three times in front of his house as police were conducting a manhunt for a suspect accused of shooting at a Mason County deputy.
“Not only the fact that my dog is dead. They killed my dog unnecessarily. They also took away something that could never be replaced. My sense of security has also been taken away,” said Jeremy.
The incident Ginger witnessed is part of a growing national concern over police confrontations with dogs. Stories of pet dogs killed by police have been posted on social media sites and videos have gone viral on YouTube.
“The bar is set quite low. Generally the policy is if an officer feels that he or she is threatened with bodily harm, or the public is, then that shooting is considered justified,” said Dr. Randall Lockwood, the senior vice president with the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Lockwood has been studying police confrontations with animals for 15 years. He's helped train police departments across the nation.
“It is a lot like hostage negotiation. You need to calm the situation down, find out what is needed to gain control and act accordingly,” said Lockwood.
According to documents 13 News received under the Freedom of Information Act, 15 dogs have been killed in the last four years by West Virginia State Troopers. The summaries say each dog was acting “aggressively.”
According to the reports, Willy Pete charged from behind the house. He “growled and barred his teeth.” However, the Sweats have argued that is not true.
“He was a larger dog. He had bad hips,” said Jeremy.
“Oh his hips were bad. It would take him awhile sometimes to get up,” said Ginger.
After the incident, West Virginia State Police apologized for shooting Willy Pete but stood by the decision to shoot him. Troopers helped the Sweats bury the dog and gave the family a voucher to use to adopt a dog from the shelter.
West Virginia State Police would not comment for this story. Troopers denied 13 News' request for information regarding trooper training, citing the material would “disclose techniques, procedures and/or guidelines for law-enforcement investigations and/or prosecutions.”
However, other state police agencies have publicly instituted measures to help police handle aggressive dogs. For example, in Kansas police have special stun guns. In Maryland, they have catch-poles so officers can control the dog without harming it.
Both Jeremy and Ginger say they would like their story to spark conversation about what can be better done.
“I think this is an opportunity for them to step up and say this is something we need to address,” said Jeremy.