gunsmith
member
http://kdka.com/pets/local_story_255201840.html
I call BS! thats the kind of dog who if told sternly to "go home"
he would....most dogs growl over food, all he was doing was eating ...not chasing...
(KDKA) PROSPECT There are many unanswered questions about the shooting of a Butler County family's dog.
The game commissioner who killed the dog says he was dangerous.
However, family members disagree and now they want action.
Buster was a four year old black lab.
He was shot and killed by a Pennsylvania Game Commission officer.
A man who says he had to do it to protect the public.
"He was murdered by the game commission, as far as I'm concerned," said Buster's owner Jeff Neely.
Neely means it and he's fighting mad.
So mad that he had flyers printed up saying his dog was murdered.
He placed them all over Prospect and now everyone is talking about Buster.
Prospect resident Carol Mineo said, "I think it's terrible. I can't imagine a lab attacking a moving deer."
That's the story being told however.
Game commission officers say they were called to the Butler County Fairgrounds after a complaint of two dogs eating off of a downed deer.
The dogs were reportedly being aggressive and growling.
Buster was one of the dogs.
As the game commission officer explained it to the Neely family in their front yard Monday night, he said he had to shoot and kill both dogs as a matter of public safety.
Yvonne Neely is devastated by this.
"I do not believe there was any reason at all for him to be shot," she said. "Buster was part of us. He lived inside. He slept with the kids at night. He was just part of us."
Fifteen year-old Dom says he lost his best friend and he's angry about it.
"Everybody loved him," said Dom. "He'd come here. People would come here and they'd all see him, pet him. They'd be fine. He wasn't mean to anybody. He was definitely part of the family."
KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin says there are a couple of things to remember in this case.
The game commission officer was not available for comment.
A spokesman in Harrisburg said the officer shot the animals with deep regret and that we would be telling a completely different story if Buster had attacked someone.
Also, there is a law, under what's called Title 34 that allows a citizen to kill a dog if they witness a deer being hunted down.
Regardless, the Game Commission says this was a law enforcement action taken in the interest of public safety.
http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_256210140.html
New Details On Dog Shot & Killed By Game Officer
(KDKA) PROSPECT There's new information following a KDKA investigation into the shooting of a family pet by a Pennsylvania Game Commission officer.
The officer says he did it to protect public safety.
However, the family is calling it murder.
Buster was a four year old black lab shot by a game commission officer who described the dog as a threat to public safety.
To the surprise of many, game commission officers are not required to file a report when they shoot a family pet.
Also, while game commissioners can tranquilize dangerous wild animals, they're instructed to shoot domestic pets when necessary.
When Buster was shot and killed by the game commission officer, the officer had two choices.
He could try to catch the dog, which he says he couldn't, or kill him.
He could not tranquilize Buster.
"I asked the officer why he didn't tranquilize and not shoot," said Buster's owner Yvonne Neely. "His exact words were 'They do not tranquilize domestic animals, they shoot them'. They use tranquilizers on wild animals."
In fact the officer was following state law.
Agents are told to shoot domestic animals.
FDA restrictions don't allow them to tranquilize pets.
"Our permission to use them is restricted for certain dosages, specified for certain wildlife," said Jerry Feaser of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. "We do not have the authority to use them on domestic animals"
There's even more to the story.
Buster was shot on the Butler County Fairgrounds.
The game commission officer says he was called by frightened employees because two dogs were standing over a downed deer exhibiting aggressive behavior.
The officer killed them in the interest of public safety but the fact is there is no official report on the incident.
Jeff Neely found that out when he asked for one.
"I asked the game commission if they had a report," said Neely. "They don't have to file reports for shootings or anything like that. Why don't they?"
He's right, according to game commission policy there doesn't have to be a report.
"The only time it's required by law to file a written report on this type of incident is if the dog is immediately identifiable as a pet," said Feaser.
Now, members of the Neely family, as well as others in the Butler County Community of Prospect, are contacting state representatives.
They've also written a letter to the governor.
They want laws changed.
They want it to be made mandatory that game commission officers file incident reports and carry tranquilizer for domestic pets.
I call BS! thats the kind of dog who if told sternly to "go home"
he would....most dogs growl over food, all he was doing was eating ...not chasing...
(KDKA) PROSPECT There are many unanswered questions about the shooting of a Butler County family's dog.
The game commissioner who killed the dog says he was dangerous.
However, family members disagree and now they want action.
Buster was a four year old black lab.
He was shot and killed by a Pennsylvania Game Commission officer.
A man who says he had to do it to protect the public.
"He was murdered by the game commission, as far as I'm concerned," said Buster's owner Jeff Neely.
Neely means it and he's fighting mad.
So mad that he had flyers printed up saying his dog was murdered.
He placed them all over Prospect and now everyone is talking about Buster.
Prospect resident Carol Mineo said, "I think it's terrible. I can't imagine a lab attacking a moving deer."
That's the story being told however.
Game commission officers say they were called to the Butler County Fairgrounds after a complaint of two dogs eating off of a downed deer.
The dogs were reportedly being aggressive and growling.
Buster was one of the dogs.
As the game commission officer explained it to the Neely family in their front yard Monday night, he said he had to shoot and kill both dogs as a matter of public safety.
Yvonne Neely is devastated by this.
"I do not believe there was any reason at all for him to be shot," she said. "Buster was part of us. He lived inside. He slept with the kids at night. He was just part of us."
Fifteen year-old Dom says he lost his best friend and he's angry about it.
"Everybody loved him," said Dom. "He'd come here. People would come here and they'd all see him, pet him. They'd be fine. He wasn't mean to anybody. He was definitely part of the family."
KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin says there are a couple of things to remember in this case.
The game commission officer was not available for comment.
A spokesman in Harrisburg said the officer shot the animals with deep regret and that we would be telling a completely different story if Buster had attacked someone.
Also, there is a law, under what's called Title 34 that allows a citizen to kill a dog if they witness a deer being hunted down.
Regardless, the Game Commission says this was a law enforcement action taken in the interest of public safety.
http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_256210140.html
New Details On Dog Shot & Killed By Game Officer
(KDKA) PROSPECT There's new information following a KDKA investigation into the shooting of a family pet by a Pennsylvania Game Commission officer.
The officer says he did it to protect public safety.
However, the family is calling it murder.
Buster was a four year old black lab shot by a game commission officer who described the dog as a threat to public safety.
To the surprise of many, game commission officers are not required to file a report when they shoot a family pet.
Also, while game commissioners can tranquilize dangerous wild animals, they're instructed to shoot domestic pets when necessary.
When Buster was shot and killed by the game commission officer, the officer had two choices.
He could try to catch the dog, which he says he couldn't, or kill him.
He could not tranquilize Buster.
"I asked the officer why he didn't tranquilize and not shoot," said Buster's owner Yvonne Neely. "His exact words were 'They do not tranquilize domestic animals, they shoot them'. They use tranquilizers on wild animals."
In fact the officer was following state law.
Agents are told to shoot domestic animals.
FDA restrictions don't allow them to tranquilize pets.
"Our permission to use them is restricted for certain dosages, specified for certain wildlife," said Jerry Feaser of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. "We do not have the authority to use them on domestic animals"
There's even more to the story.
Buster was shot on the Butler County Fairgrounds.
The game commission officer says he was called by frightened employees because two dogs were standing over a downed deer exhibiting aggressive behavior.
The officer killed them in the interest of public safety but the fact is there is no official report on the incident.
Jeff Neely found that out when he asked for one.
"I asked the game commission if they had a report," said Neely. "They don't have to file reports for shootings or anything like that. Why don't they?"
He's right, according to game commission policy there doesn't have to be a report.
"The only time it's required by law to file a written report on this type of incident is if the dog is immediately identifiable as a pet," said Feaser.
Now, members of the Neely family, as well as others in the Butler County Community of Prospect, are contacting state representatives.
They've also written a letter to the governor.
They want laws changed.
They want it to be made mandatory that game commission officers file incident reports and carry tranquilizer for domestic pets.
