Read about something so sad...

[Peepa]

About a couple who were taking their choking dog to the vet and they got pulled over for speeding. The cop told the driver, "you can get another dog" while the driver was in a complete frenzy to save his dog''s life. This got me thinking as to what I would do. What should the cop have done? What is legal and what is moral and which is right?

 

[Peepa]

Apparently the cop took 15 minutes to cite him. 15 minutes while a dog is choking?! Couldn''t he have escorted him to the vet''s office and THEN given him a ticket?? But he WAS speeding. What would YOU do?

 

[akmiss]

Depends, how fast was this guy going? 80 or 100 miles an hour? Putting other peoples lives in danger. What would have happened if a kid walked into the street. Now that would be sad

Sounds like a tough call in a bad situation. I hope the dog is fine

 

[hairgirl95]

Being the dog loving fanatic that I am, I think I would have flipped my hazard lights on, motioned to the cop to keep following me, and just kept going. I would figure I was going to get a ticket anyways, so I would rather get the dog to the vet and let the cop write me up while the vet is saving my pooches life. What a jerk cop--I would have been irate! Cops are lenient if its a human having a health condition--and at my house dogs are our kids!

 

[Peepa]

Date: 8/20/2008 1:04:52 PM
Author: akmiss
Depends, how fast was this guy going? 80 or 100 miles an hour? Putting other peoples lives in danger. What would have happened if a kid walked into the street. Now that would be sad

Sounds like a tough call in a bad situation. I hope the dog is fine

... the dog died.

 

[jas]

Date: 8/20/2008 1:06:27 PM
Author: Peepa

Date: 8/20/2008 1:04:52 PM
Author: akmiss
Depends, how fast was this guy going? 80 or 100 miles an hour? Putting other peoples lives in danger. What would have happened if a kid walked into the street. Now that would be sad

Sounds like a tough call in a bad situation. I hope the dog is fine

... the dog died.

OK, this just made me cry. I agree...if it were me, i''d hope the cop would follow me to the vet and the cop can ticket me all he wants.

 

[Peepa]

http://www.keyetv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=10075835-0BE5-45E9-9E2B-BA493F902847&gsa=true

On another site the dog was choking so I''m not sure if the dog was sick or choking. Either way, I can''t stop thinking about it. How absolutely horrific.

 

[golden]

I have a dog and he is my life. IF this was a human-being choking and not a dog, the police officer would have escorted them to the animal hospital but instead he did nothing and TOOK his time to write them up a ticket, that is ABSOLUTLEY inhumane and totally ridiculous. oh my gosh this story infuriates me!!!!!

 

[Peepa]

Date: 8/20/2008 1:29:33 PM
Author: golden
I have a dog and he is my life. IF this was a human-being choking and not a dog, the police officer would have escorted them to the animal hospital but instead he did nothing and TOOK his time to write them up a ticket, that is ABSOLUTLEY inhumane and totally ridiculous. oh my gosh this story infuriates me!!!!!

I had such a hard time coming into work today cause I didn''t want to leave our dog. And I am totally pissed about this story too. I just can''t believe how inhumane the cop acted. I can''t stop shaking my head.

 

[Haven]

This makes me ill. I wish I hadn''t read this thread. I feel so badly for that couple and poor, sweet Missy.

When I was in HS my younger sister started to have an asthma attack while my father was driving the two of us and my mother to a restaurant. Sister has serious asthma, and for some reason we did not have any inhalers or anything in the car. My father pulled an illegal U-turn to head back to our home, a cop saw us, and turned on his lights to pull us over. My father put the blinkers on and the cop followed us all the way to our house. When we arrived my mother ran inside for the inhaler, and the cop stood outside our car berating my father for not stopping. He said my father should have stopped, waited for the cop to come up to the window, and then told him the situation, and THEN he could go to our home. Ridiculous. My sister couldn''t breathe. I think my father ended up going to the station the next day and speaking with the officer''s superior, but I don''t recall what happened.

 

[akmiss]

OK, this is too sad. The poor couple

Dogs are man''s best friend. And I have been lucky enough to have a couple of great dogs in my life. Our bond was amazing and true to say the least. But it is very hard to compare dogs to humans. If it was a human choking, yes things would have been handled differently. Of course because it is a cops duty to serve and protect humans. Driving at high speeds endangers others. It is a hard call. Being a mother of three, I despise speeders! And it only take a second for someone to get hit.... It should have taken less than 15 minutes to write out a ticket

A tragic loss none the less.

 

[Kaleigh]

This is sooooo sad. It reminds me of the woman who was stopped for speeding, while her dad was being taken in ambulance to the hospital. If I recall she flipped out at the officer, saying, I have to go my dad is dying. I think she was arrested? Anyone rememeber this? It made national news.

I am a huge dog/ animal lover, and would have said to the cop, you can folllow me to the vets and cite me once the vet takes my dog in. Oh my heart aches for the owner!!!!

 

[krispi]

My BF was a traffic cop for 5 years and was notorious for being extremely strict. In all his time, he only let 1 person off the hook, and that was because she threw up all over her car. I asked him what he thought about this situation, and here''s what he said. I happen to agree with him 100%.

Sounds like cop was being a jerk. It doesn’t take 20 minutes to issue a ticket under normal circumstances. They should sue and get him fired….and he should just ‘chill out…it’s only an officer – the department can get another one.’

 

[2Artists]

That is so upsetting. No words.

 

[oobiecoo]

This happened near where I live! The video of it was on the news and the worst part was that the cop yelled "It''s just a dog! You can buy another one!". That is the only thing he is being reprimanded for... they are making sure he does counseling to learn how to better deal with people''s emotions in situations like this. They stand by his decision to write and ticket and not let the couple continue to the emergency center.

 

[Linda W]

OMG, they let him off... they have no heart.



Linda

 

[Italiahaircolor]

I hope that was just one bad cop on one bad day...otherwise, I think pure human compassion comes into play...I''d run from the cops to save my dog if I had to. Let them cart me to jail...maybe the judge will understand.

 

[Dandi]

Oh my. My heart is breaking for that couple. I'm going outside to give my doggies a hug now

 

[dragonfly411]

I think in ANY emergency you should have your hazards on, and I do think that is the owner''s fault. I do think I would have motioned for the cop to follow versus stopping. Let them write me a speeding ticket but I''m saving my dog. The officer should be reprimanded for animal abusive actions.

 

[littlelysser]

that cop just plain stinks.

And here''s the thing with failing to stop for a police officer...it is a crime. WAY bigger crime than speeding.

So, just FYI - If you ignore the cop, you are going to get way more than a speeding ticket!

 

[purrfectpear]

Date: 8/21/2008 5:36:26 PM
Author: littlelysser
that cop just plain stinks.

And here''s the thing with failing to stop for a police officer...it is a crime. WAY bigger crime than speeding.

So, just FYI - If you ignore the cop, you are going to get way more than a speeding ticket!

Like I would care. I''ll take my chances that the judge is a dog lover

 

[littlelysser]

Date: 8/21/2008 8:15:35 PM
Author: purrfectpear

Date: 8/21/2008 5:36:26 PM

Author: littlelysser

that cop just plain stinks.


And here''s the thing with failing to stop for a police officer...it is a crime. WAY bigger crime than speeding.


So, just FYI - If you ignore the cop, you are going to get way more than a speeding ticket!

Like I would care. I''ll take my chances that the judge is a dog lover

Oh, I AGREE completely. Shoot, I''d probably call an AMBULANCE if one of my puppinses was sick...

Just wanted folks to know that they may, in fact, be committing a felony!

 

[luckystar112]

This is a sad story, but I''m confused as to why they were driving so far to the vet?
If San Marcos is anything like Houston, there is an emergency pet clinic like every 5 blocks (seriously, like every shopping center. I have no idea how they stay in business).

 

[golden]

I live in NJ and the animal hospital is about 10 minutes from our house.

I just saw the story on FOX NEWS and I cannot even watch the video I am about to start crying. A second police officer came to the scene and tried to clear the dogs air passage. This story is just HORRIBLE it breaks my heart.

 

[jcarlylew]

There are always what if''s to these types of situations, but honestly, i would call 911. I know it is normally reserved for human emergancies, but they can put out info of about your reason to drive irradically, and possibly offer a closer vet/clinic.
Also, i wouldn''t speed above 10 the limit (on highways).

I LOVVEE my dog, but i would feel worse if i put other people in danger.

I think vets/clinic/pet stores should offer first aid classes for pet owners. Think, if we knew how to dislodge food/items to prevent choking, adminster CPR or even how to give human medicine for bug bites, we would help our pets live soo much longer.


fyi - iwas camping one year and someone''s dog was bitten by a bad bug (severe allergic reaction). Fortunately there was a vet (or vet in training?) with us, and had baby benadryl. That little pill gave enough time for the people to take the dog to a clinic!

 

[dragonfly411]

I heard last night that the officer was fired? Can anyone confirm this? Technically it qualifies for cruelty to an animal.

 

[luckystar112]

Here is a video.

It appears they did have their hazards on. It''s so sad...he is obviously distraught.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39sctITKM9g

 

[PrincessDijon]

Awwww that''s so sad

I''m such a baby when I see animals hurt

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Wow. That''s one of those situations you never hope to be put into. You know? It''s like, the cop has rules to enforce, but at the same time, golly, don''t circumstances come into play, too?

Aye... that poor family!

 

[fisherofmengirly]

I pulled this from another news article on the incident:

Gonzalez was allowed to go with a citation. Chief Williams calls the officer''s demeanor a "rookie mistake."

Officer Stephens received a reprimand and counseling from his superiors - on how to better handle high-stress situations.

The police chief tells CBS 42 another officer who responded to the scene as backup was compassionate and handled the situation well, even trying to clear the dog''s airway.

At least the dept. has given the "rookie" some more training. But you''d like to think that would have happened DURING the original training process, no? I mean, dealing with "high stress situations" no doubt comes up frequently when in that profession.