Legal System Going To The Dogs

[PornoDoggy]

Andi the Ohio Police Dog Named in Lawsuit

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

(12-14) 19:41 PST Athens, Ohio (AP) --

One of the defendants has more than a leg to stand on in a lawsuit filed by a convicted drug dealer. Andi has four legs. He's a dog used by the Athens County Sheriff's Department.

County Prosecutor C. David Warren said to his knowledge, it's the first time the county's dog has ever been singled out as a defendant. Warren has volunteered to handle Andi's defense personally.

"That dog could've done something to me or one of my attendants," said Wayne Francis Green, 46, of Albany, who filed the suit Nov. 18 in Athens County Common Pleas Court.

Green, who is representing himself, alleges that a search of his furniture business in 2003 was illegal. He claims officers also went into an adjoining building that he owned without a warrant, but police deny it.

Green said Wednesday evening that he felt endangered by Andi's presence.

"They've got a mean ol' dog, you know what I'm saying? I take that pretty serious," Green said, adding, "I'm a dog lover, but that's the limit."

The search turned up 50 pounds of marijuana, and last month Green was convicted of possession and trafficking in the drug. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 6.

Green's lawsuit, which seeks $450,000 in damages, also was filed against police investigators, Athens County Sheriff Vern Castle and the trial judge who ruled that the marijuana was admissible as evidence because it came from the furniture business, not the other building.

Last Thursday, Andi the German shepherd was informed that he's being sued, sort of. With a paw print, the dog "signed" the paper indicating he had been formally served with the complaint.

Green said he wants prosecutors to look into the dog's actions.

"I want him charged with several different felony counts," he said.

[MorganGrayson]

The "cop and dog show" came to my kids' school frequently. "Just Say No" graduation; fifth grade graduation. I saw the dogs frequently. Those are the most highly trained animals around. The only time you're in "danger" from a police dog is if you either attack the officer or don't stop when the cop yells "stop!"

The dogs live with the officer's family. They ain't no "mean ol' dogs." They be highly trained police officers.

I wish the two-legged cop had bitten the guy. It's a worse bite.

[Dravyk]

I wish the two-legged cop had bitten the guy. It's a worse bite. hehe Is that the voice of experience talking? :yowsa:

[Sin]

Interesting, so instead of child advocacy law, I could go into canine defense...

[Red]

That is absolutely ridiculous. There was nothing that said the dog bit him, only that he felt endangered. If that doesn't get thrown out of court then there is something severely wrong with the court system in that town.

Police dogs are so well trained. I've seen them in the airport and have asked the cops if I could pet them. They always let me and the dogs are sweet as could be. They do not attack unless told to or provoked.

[PornoDoggy]

I agree - the lawsuit is absurd.

That being said - they are very dangerous dogs that should be treated with the utmost respect. We had a cop/handler and his dog as neighbors when I was a kid, and he jumped a fence and attacked an eleven year old girl who was merely running in her own back yard.

It doesn't happen often, but I'd be willing to bet there are a dozen or more incidents a year like it.

[MorganGrayson]

PD...that incident, as usual, is the fault of the humans. The dog should have been restrained. It's very easy to buy a chain that will hold the dog and equipment to fasten it down, as any trip to Petco will show.

When my neighbor's dog murdered one of the cats I intended to take in, I made it clear to the Animal Control Officer that it wasn't the dog I wanted punished. It was the humans. There yard was fenced, with a gate in the driveway, and inside the yard they had another fenced off area for the back yard. I told the Officer (nice lady, she dealt with my hysterical tears very well) that if I had a setup like that, I'd own a LOT of dogs. I told her that as angry and upset as I was, I knew it was always the human's fault, not the dogs. (The fucking animal was vicious and if I was a gun owner I'd have shot the damned thing, but I didn't feel the need to share that information.)

Police dogs are taught that running people are guilty of something and need to be taken down.

In the lawsuit case, however, the dog was under the control of the officer.

It was fun watching the dogs come flying out of the car when the cop in the big padded suit did his pretend attacking of the dog's officer. The kids were always awed by that. "How did the dog get the door open????"