OT: Dog dies as cop tells couple to "get another"

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:27 pm

Some of you probably saw this the the other day. Here is the story and video.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5598075

A cop in San Marcos, Texas pulled over a speeding car and then the couple tries to explain their dog is choking/dying and the cop has no sympathy whatsoever and tells them "it's just a dog...you can get another". In my eyes, this guy is trash. Do I expect him to lead a police escorted rush to the Vet?....no. But his verbal responses were just totally inappropriate and he could have let them go when he saw the dog and gave them a ticket later, if he desired.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:33 pm

Eagerly anticipating PK's response...

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:38 pm

Pertinent fact:

Officer Paul Stephens spotted driver Michael Gonzalez speeding down Interstate 35 and pulled him over for clocking 100 miles per hour.

All the dogs Texas aren't worth one person being even slightly injured in a car accident...much less being involved in accident with one idiot moving at 100mph. Endangering others on the road in order to save a domesticated animal is inhumane in the extreme. Maybe a dead dog will help this moron get his priorities in order.

And yes, I have had dogs. Yes, I like dogs. Yes, I know how much dogs mean to people.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:44 pm

RobVarak wrote:Pertinent fact:
Officer Paul Stephens spotted driver Michael Gonzalez speeding down Interstate 35 and pulled him over for clocking 100 miles per hour.
All the dogs Texas aren't worth one person being even slightly injured in a car accident...much less being involved in accident with one idiot moving at 100mph. Endangering others on the road in order to save a domesticated animal is inhumane in the extreme. Maybe a dead dog will help this moron get his priorities in order.

And yes, I have had dogs. Yes, I like dogs. Yes, I know how much dogs mean to people.

Isn't the speed limit like 85 in Texas?

And this shouldn't surprise you Jack. Texas is the killing capital of the country. They don't even wait for the t in guilty before they're pulling the switch.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:45 pm

Isn't it possible to do the Heimlich on a dog?

Seriously, Jack: Let them go and resume at 105 mph on public roads, endangering the lives of people so Fido can be saved? Do you honestly think that dude would resume at 65 mph once he left the cop's vision? Come on.

I agree 1 million percent with Rob. The officer could use a bit of PR training, but no pet in the world is worth reckless endangerment of the lives of humans. There is a hierarchy, and pets aren't sharing the penthouse suite with people.

And yes, I'm a pet owner. I'm also a husband and father. No problems with driving 105 mph to save the lives of my wife or kids. But my cats? Nope.

Take care,
PK

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:40 pm

Great, more PETA crap.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:43 pm

At least they didn't have a horse in the back seat or else this thread would explode.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:50 pm

pk500 wrote:Isn't it possible to do the Heimlich on a dog?

Seriously, Jack: Let them go and resume at 105 mph on public roads, endangering the lives of people so Fido can be saved? Do you honestly think that dude would resume at 65 mph once he left the cop's vision? Come on.

I agree 1 million percent with Rob. The officer could use a bit of PR training, but no pet in the world is worth reckless endangerment of the lives of humans. There is a hierarchy, and pets aren't sharing the penthouse suite with people.

And yes, I'm a pet owner. I'm also a husband and father. No problems with driving 105 mph to save the lives of my wife or kids. But my cats? Nope.

Take care,
PK

The only thing I'm criticizing is the cops attitude and lack of sympathy for these people. I never said he should let them resume speeding. But he could have took down their plates and instructed them to get to the Vet, but stay within the speed limits. I am not for endangering human lives for the sake of a probably already dead dog.

And yes, PK, I think you can do CPR on a dog. The couple would have been much better off trying that instead of wasting all that time driving.
If someone is choking, you don't tell them to get in the car while you drive them to the E.R. A little "Doggie-Hiemlich" maneuver would probably have saved that poodles life, but I guess this couple wasn't thinking rationally.

In retrospect, the thing that upset me the most was the cop's comment of "you can get another", as if the dog was a lamp or a hat. The couple probably caused the problem more than anyone else, but the cop should have shown a bit of sensitivity. But was I surprised by his behavior?...not at all.

P.S. Thinhs have been a little slow around here lately. I thought this topic might spice things up a bit

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:50 pm

Danimal wrote:At least they didn't have a horse in the back seat or else this thread would explode.

ROFL!!!

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:02 pm

BTW, if anyone with a dog ever has this situation on their hands, read this so you know how to save your pet's life:

http://warreneckstein.com/pettips_hm.html

And Stay Out of Texas!!!

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:03 pm

He definitely shouldn't have been doing 100mph, but the cop was a dick.

Jackdog · Post by **Jackdog** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:10 pm

MizzouRah wrote:He definitely shouldn't have been doing 100mph, but the cop was a dick.

He might have been just a bit pissed off at the time to really give a s***. He's a public servant and these people put the public at risk. I'm sure this cop has seen many accidents and deaths caused by sheer lack of intelligence. This could have been one of them. Given the circumstances, I think I would have said or done worse.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:42 pm

The cop was indeed a dick, but how was he initially supposed to know this guy wasn't coked up on drugs? From the video, the guy was flipping out. Especially at night where you can't get a real good look at the person. In any case, once he found out what was going on, he should have escorted them to the vet and written the ticket at that time.

Atxj · Post by **Atxj** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:45 pm

ScoopBrady wrote:Isn't the speed limit like 85 in Texas?

Close, but a bit more like 95.

Funny thing is, I live there and hadn't heard about the story until I saw this thread.

Personally, I side with the dog owners. The trooper's response was utter bullsh*t. He showed no remorse for the couple and their situation whatsoever and I don't believe that a dog should be seen as any more expendable than any other organism. We breed them for profit, fight them, and who knows what else all for our own personal gain. Yet when someone makes an attempt to save their own and a minimal risk is presented we throw a fit.

Just to clarify, I-35 is a three lane highway and especially in this area hardly ever crowded. I can't recall ever spending time on it and not witnessing someone fly by doing close to if not more than 100 mph. Occasionally you have the wacko's that are weaving in and out of traffic going that fast, but for the most part everyone just scoots over and let's them pass right by without a problem. I just don't see the outstanding level of danger in what took place. I probably have a better chance of losing my life giving the finger to someone on the 405.

I can already feel the heat coming, so don't hold back.

Jackdog · Post by **Jackdog** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:51 pm

Atxj wrote:
Personally, I side with the dog owners. The trooper's response was utter bullsh*t. He showed no remorse for the couple and their situation whatsoever and I don't believe that a dog should be seen as any more expendable than any other organism. We breed them for profit, fight them, and who knows what else all for our own personal gain. Yet when someone makes an attempt to save their own and a minimal risk is presented we throw a fit.

You sure like to use "we" a lot.

I am a human being that gives my wife organisms. No dogs involved!

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:00 pm

1. Cops job is to enforce the law, not "show remorse" for dead or dying animals.

2. Fundamentally you can argue that the life of every organism on the planet. You can also suggest that the earth is flat, life begins at 30 or that PK is a spendthrift. Just because you can make an argument doesn't mean that factual reality doesn't exist. There are humans and then there are everything else. As the world's most highly-evolved animals, we owe it to ourselves, to each other and to the planet to do everything we can to protect ourselves. Any protection we can give to lesser, yes lesser, organisms is gravy.

You can disagree with that position, but I don't think you want to. The opposing argument can only logically conclude that since every organism is of equal value we should have the same remorse for the lives of the millions of micro-organisms that we kill ever day, the squirrel that we run over with the car and a kid who dies of cancer.

I posit that not only is it impossible to feel such remorse, and take the action necessary to eliminate the killing of all these organisms, but it is fundamentally immoral to do so. For in order to display this sort of "hyper-regard" for all living things one would have to actively risk the lives of human beings (who are after all not very numerous) in order to protect the other species. Not, in my view, a tenable argument at all.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:01 pm

lol@Dan

Atxj · Post by **Atxj** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:05 pm

JackDog wrote:
Atxj wrote:
Personally, I side with the dog owners. The trooper's response was utter bullsh*t. He showed no remorse for the couple and their situation whatsoever and I don't believe that a dog should be seen as any more expendable than any other organism. We breed them for profit, fight them, and who knows what else all for our own personal gain. Yet when someone makes an attempt to save their own and a minimal risk is presented we throw a fit.
You sure like to use "we" a lot.

I am a human being that gives my wife organisms. No dogs involved!

By "we" I mean human beings as a collective, of which I would have to assume that you are.

As well, judging by your response above I'd have to throw you into the "we" category of fit throwers.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:05 pm

sportdan30 wrote:The cop was indeed a dick, but how was he initially supposed to know this guy wasn't coked up on drugs? From the video, the guy was flipping out. Especially at night where you can't get a real good look at the person. In any case, once he found out what was going on, he should have escorted them to the vet and written the ticket at that time.

A cop escorting a sick dog to the vet? You're kidding, right?

I can just imagine the ensuing call:

"Robbery taking place at 417 Vine. All cars in vicinity please report."
"Sorry, HQ, I'm escorting a choking dog to the vet. Another squad car will need to report."

We're not talking about a woman in labor or a person dying in the back seat of a car.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:11 pm

Atxj wrote:Personally, I side with the dog owners. The trooper's response was utter bullsh*t. He showed no remorse for the couple and their situation whatsoever and I don't believe that a dog should be seen as any more expendable than any other organism.

OK, you drive past a traffic accident in which a human and a dog are injured and need a ride to treatment. A veterinarian's office is across the street; a hospital or urgent care center is 2 miles away.

You'd even think of dropping off the animal at the vet's before you'd bring the human to the emergency room? After all, both are equal organisms, right?

Ah, the foolish idealism of youth.

Take care,
PK

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:14 pm

I would agree the cops attitude was s*** but he still just did his job.

Jackdog · Post by **Jackdog** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:21 pm

Atxj wrote: By "we" I mean human beings as a collective, of which I would have to assume that you are.

As well, judging by your response above I'd have to throw you into the "we" category of fit throwers.

Notice the wink? I was joking. I honestly was. The sad part of this is you weren't. Organism...........

Atxj · Post by **Atxj** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:22 pm

We could sit around all day and debate about what I would of done had this and that happened and what you would of done and think should have been done had this situation occurred under other circumstances.

It was nighttime, there were a few semi's on the road and a couple would liked to have saved their dog's life. Sure they broke the law and posed a minimal threat to themselves and those around them. I don't see much wrong with went on.

What's funniest for me, pk, is that your too arrogant to allow anyone else's opinion matter.

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:32 pm

In the past I would have reacted to this thread like IT'S A F'N DOG! But in these past years, I've known some people who have live alternative lives and naturally cannot have children. So what they do and this particular couple did was get some pets/dogs as their 'children'. And they treat their dogs like they were their children. I guess it's a little different take on things but they give the same amount of love to their dogs as many do to their children.

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:36 pm

dpost