Man Seeks Justice After Police Kill His Dog
BIRMINGHAM (WWJ) - A Birmingham man has hired an attorney, after his dog was fatally shot by police.
Birmingham Police received a call about a dog named Buddy, a 5-year-old Labrador mix, who was running loose on Bowers Street Saturday afternoon.
Police say the dog lunged at them and had to be killed.
However, witnesses told the dog's owner, Terry Boyle, that Buddy was shot twice as he ran from police to the side of the house. And, after he managed to crawl to the front porch, police shot him again.
Clearly choked up, Boyle spoke with WWJ Newsradio 950's Chrystal Knight about the incident.
"[The witness] saw my dog pick up his head and try to move and then the officer put the noose around my dog's neck, dragged him off my porch. She saw the officer shoot my dog two more times," Boyle said.
"After hearing what my witness saw, I was disgusted," he said. "I just felt it was completely unnecessary ... my dog was a nice dog. He just did not deserve to be shot," he said.
Officers said the dog was always running loose and was a threat. But Boyle said his dog never harmed anyone and neighbors maintain that the dog was not a threat.
Birmingham Police are expected to release a statement.
