Animal Control officer in Brunswick County shoots family dog

I personally know the family of this dog, Stolle, and knew Stolle also. I also have a dog that is 19 years old and is in pretty darn good health, those of you that say he should have been put down know nothing of elderly animals and the people that care for them. Stolle, the last I saw him was in good health also, a bit slow, like my dog, and some people that are aged. I would not wish to put down my dog Cocoa any more than I would wish to put down my mother if she were in poor health. The very first time I met Stolle he walked up and nuzzled me and was never nervous or threatening in ANY way.
As far as the "animal control" officer goes, I am surprised that he or anyone else thought that Stolle was a coyote! He has generally been shaved as of the last few years! How many neatly shaved or clipped coyote's have you seen lately? Obviously the dog was in distress, how many people have you heard of, in distress, unable to speak, acting strangely that have been shot twice to kill them (elderly with alzhiemers?)?? (I also realize that it was a DOG not a person, as some may say, but it was a FAMILY member). I understand the officer may have been nervous and was trying to do his job, but I really think he could have taken more time to assess the situation considering the dog was not threatening anyone and it should have been obvious that it was a family pet, since he was shaved or clipped. I also wonder, are there no darts for animal control officers to put an animal out so they CAN asess a situation like this more closely? This is as bad as accusing someone of a horrible crime and giving them the death penalty, killing them and then finding out they were actually innocent. My sincerest condolences to the family of Stolle. What sweet eyes he had. He will be missed.

I am the owner of Stoley who was an incredible animal companion to me, my husband, and our five boys. He was old and had all the issues that surround his age. He was also still very much alive, giving and receiving love everyday. He was not ready to die this way after all of the great years he had given to us. He should have died with his family on a nice comfy bed with us by his side.

I feel like Labor Day was the perfect storm with lots of mistakes taking place that ultimately took him from us in the most horribly way. It hurts to think that someone thought of our Stoley as a threat, especially after all the love and benefit he had always offered. It all started with a frantic phone call to 911 by a neighbor who thought Stoley was a wild animal with rabies. We all know people like that who take things out of context and this time Stoley had to pay the price. Stoley's rabies vaccine didn't expire until May 5, 2011.

The animal control officer was called out on an emergency call with thoughts that people were in danger. Instead of taking a close look at the situation upon arrival to the location, he reacted without even enough observation to see that Stoley was a pet, an old man pet who just needed help. There was absolutely no reason he couldn't have walked up to Stoley and put his hands all over him. Stoley would have never tried to bite. If he would have just gotten closer he would have known. I was told the animal control officer's actions on my pet were taken 50 to 60 yards away. He had his gun in hand and the dog was not thrashing with any aggression. He certainly could have gotten closer and he would have helped Stoley not killed him! I would have been so happy, and would have been so blessed, if I were given the opportunity to pick up my dog from the animal shelter this morning.

Mistake number three lies right here with me, the owner. I should have never trusted that my pet would never wonder off. I should have never let him sit on the porch without me in his presence. I should have looked down the street a little further, a little earlier. Stoley should have never been given the opportunity to get lost.

As for the animal control officer, I forgive him. I must forgive him. I feel like he would have never intentionally hurt us. He didn't know what he was taking from us at the time. He didn't know what a fine animal friend that Stoley was. He didn't know how MUCH we loved him. He didn't know that Stoley was like a child to me. He didn't know that Stoley was no threat to anyone. I just want him to tell the story so maybe next time the next person will be more careful and assess the situation a little better. The animal control officer is not a bad man!

As for the caller who made my dog look like an enemy, a killer, a threat.. you need help! Think about what you say and do to others. You have caused so much pain! To all of you people who can't wait to catch someone breaking a neighborhood rule or making a simple harmless mistake, may you realize you are not perfect either. May you realize life is so much bigger and better than these petty things. Love your neighbor and do unto your neighbor as you would want them to do to you.

Thanks for hearing my story and I hope that you can see how much a person can love their pet. Please learn from these mistakes, Lee

The officer's own comment that he was not going to send the dog off to be checked because it was not a threat to anyone says it all. He went out and killed a pet dog. It's nice to know that instead of trying to assist someone's pet, he just believes in killing them if there is a problem. It is really a contrast to stories you hear about people who actually care about animals and are out trying to rescue them from situations. Guess he didn't want to get his hands dirty or his feet wet.

I am as much of a dog lover as the next person but the own of the dog is at full fault on this.
If he was watching his pet he would have known it was wandering and it was possibly drowning.
Had this been a special needs child the parent would be locked up for neglect and abuse but since its a dog people are now blaming animal control.
That is just not right.
The owner should be fined with any applicable leash law, should be made to pay the cost of the bullet and the salary for the time spent doing something that could have easily been avoided.

How horrible for those negligent owners of the dog to allow him to live in such misery. Old dogs like that with nothing but pain and suffering ahead should be put down, not put out to drown in a pond. They should be fined for animal abuse.

This is exactly the kind of thing that wrecked our healthcare system and has come close to bankrupting our country.

If the guy couldn't tell the difference between a black/brown Shepard and a coyote he needs to be FIRED.

What a complete idiot.
If you can't tell the difference between a German Shepard and a coyote he should be fired.
Why does an animal control officer need a gun in the first place?
Plus shooting a gun toward the water of a neighborhood pond endangered all residents of the neighborhood.
Brunswick County needs to improve training of all county employees.

This man ought to be fired immediately and the owner should sued him for the grief and pain caused to his family.
What an idiot he is!!
he is not fit for this job, we don't need to have employee/employees who are trigger happy.
My sincere condolences to the family who has lost their family pet.

If John Q Public would have shot that dog, he wouldn't have the luxury to use oops, mistake. He would have to go through the court system.

If John Q. Public makes a mistake on his taxes, he doesn't have the same protections as Sen. Charlie Rangel seems to have either.

When Barack Obama and his minions pass Health Care-Insurance Reform-Socialized Medicine, you won't get the same coverage and options as they will be getting at the front of the line.

Point being; The people making and enforcing laws for us, are rarely held responsible for their oops, mistakes or, receive a slap on the wrist compared to what John Q. Public would receive.

How is that hope and change workin' for ya?

It is the responsibility of the owners to have their dog on their own property at all times. Yes accidents happen, dogs get out and sometimes they don't come back. The officer saw a canine displaying symptoms of rabies and made a judgement call to protect the citizens of the community. Should the officer have gotten closer and risked being bitten by a rabid animal? NO. Mistakes happen and sometimes it sucks.

Real shame for the family but it sounds like the dog had no quality of life anyone. At least now it's at peace!

PLEASE take this guy's gun ... forever!

It was a judgment call. The dog was drowning and was at a distance. Hard to make out what type of animal exactly it could be from a distance. It was demonstrating characteristics of rabbis. If it was a rabid animal, and the officer took no action, he would be putting residents and other animals at risk. To approach an animal demonstrating characteristics of rabbis is also a risk. The officer had no way of knowing the dogs exact condition, and had to act in the best interest of the majority of citizens who he is supposed to protect. Animals that are rabid are dangerous especially to small children.

The owners are at more fault for the dogs death than the officer. If the dog was in this bad of shape they should have kept closer watch on the dog. Probably any animal control officer seeing a dog behave like this, would have put the dog down. The officer did the humane thing, and the animal did not suffer.

Those leaving comments saying what a bad job the officer did, you should put yourself in his shoes. He was doing his job and made a judgment call that I myself or any other probably would have made if we had his responsibility.

His choices, risk letting a possible rabid dog go lose to infect a person or other animals, risk attempting to catch the animal and putting himself in harms way, letting the dog suffer and possibly drown, or humanly taking the dog out of his misery and ending any risks to others. You pick!

We-ins are becoming the rootin/tootin shoot em up center of the south with these officials tote'n them thar guns havin' targit practice on everything that moves!!!

Anyone that shoots a family member should be held just as accontable regardless if it is a person or animal.... It is still a family member.
I trust we will see a resignation from this..
The days of the good ol boys are over.. It's time to do what is right folks... Be good people like we ought to be..

...however I can't help but to ask the owners, what was a 15 year lifelong pet that is "hard of hearing,tired and had poor eyesight" doing wondering around the neighborhood unsupervised? Can you imagine how scared it must have been being "disoriented" and falling into a pond??

If it's health was that bad of shape the humane thing to do is to have it put down! Don't let a poor animal wonder off and die in hopes that you won't have to do the task!

Not saying that the office is completly right in his actions but he probably did the dog a favor that the owners couldn't bring themselves to do.

What a bad judgement call !!! Sounds like the Animal Control should either get a new job or get an eye exam.

Pretty sad you have a professional working as a animal control officer and he can't tell the difference between a coyote and a dog.