Policeman Shoots Dead Beloved Pet Dog After She Ran Up to Greet Him

A mother and daughter in Florida are left heartbroken after a policeman killed their beloved pet dog after she ran up to greet him.

Duchess - a bull terrier was shot three times by the officer after he knocked on the family's door to tell them their car door was open.

When Gillian Palacios, Duchess’s owner, responded by opening her front door, Duchess ran out to say hello to the officer and he shot her in the head.

The family had surveillance footage which appears to back up the mother's claim that the dog wasn’t being aggressive and wasn’t barking at the time.

The family said they were not in trouble with police and didn't understand why their dog was killed for running into their garden.

‘Before I could even do anything, the officer had his gun out and shot her three times in the head,’ the mother, who works as a petsitter and bookeeper, said.

‘She was curious. She wasn’t barking (and) she wasn’t growling. There was no reason for him to think she was aggressive in any way.’

The police officer, who has not been identified, claimed the dog was ‘charging after him’ when he shot her. After killing the animal, he told the family Animal Services would come around to pick up the dog.

He has since been put on administrative leave.

A Florida City police spokesman Officer Ken Armenteros said: ‘We don’t have the luxury of hindsight. We have to use the information that is given to us in a split second.

‘So, the officer has to make that decision with the information that he has available.’

A video of the surveillance footage which shows the incident has been released and can be seen here. Warning: disturbing content