Guys, we need your help. All of your help. We need you to write letters, and sign petitions, and make phone calls, and send emails, and above all we need you to tell everyone you know all about this, so that they will write emails, and make phone calls, and sign petitions.And this is why.
Rosie is pictured above, as a puppy. And here is her website:
In brief - on November 7th, Rosie - a 3 1/2 year old female Newfoundland Dog, escaped from her yard. She became frightened, and tried to get back into her home, (as evidenced by muddy paw prints on the front door and fence), but couldn't. The police were called when she was later seen running through traffic - when they arrived children were trying to corner her. She had retreated back to her own driveway. The police tasered her once. She yelped and ran. At some point, the police say she showed her teeth to them, and lunged. They tasered her again. She ran into a neighbor's fenced yard, and tried to hide in the neighbor's bushes. The police located her, and decided that since tasering was having no effect, and they hadn't been able to catch her using the catch pole, they were going to kill her.
They radioed for backup and two more police officers arrived, one of them carrying a sniper rifle. They shot her once, in their words, "to stop her." Stop her from hiding in the bushes? The neighbor whose yard it was, had been instructed to go into her house with her dog and children. They could all hear Rosie screaming after the first shot.
They then shot her an additional THREE times, to "euthanize her."
Here is a pdf of the Police Report:
So. If you are able to, please - sign the petition.
And if you are able to, please - write to Des Moines' local government and police department.
Be polite but concerned and adamant about your feelings. They want this to go away and tomorrow is one day late as far as they're concerned:
Main City Hall Number (206) 878-4595
Department Directory:
Mayor/City Council - 21630 11th Avenue South, Suite A Des Moines, WA 98198
(206) 878-4595
(206) 870-6540 fax
City Clerk - 21630 11th Avenue South, Suite A Des Moines, WA 98198
(206) 870-6519
(206) 870-6540 fax
City Manager’s Office - 21630 11th Avenue South, Suite A Des Moines, WA 98198
(206) 870-6541
(206) 870-6540 fax
Police - 21900 11th Avenue South Des Moines, WA 98198
(206) 878-3301
(206) 870-7626 fax
Email the Des Moines Animal Control Officer, Officer Jan Magnuson:
animal@desmoineswa.gov
Email the Mayor and the City Council Persons:
City Mayor, Bob Sheckler: bsheckler@desmoineswa.gov
City Council: sthomasson@desmoineswa.gov, mmusser@desmoineswa.gov, mpina@desmoineswa.gov, cscott@desmoineswa.gov, dsherman@desmoineswa.gov, dkaplan@desmoineswa.gov
Let these people know that the world is watching, and that we aren't going to let this quietly fade away. Rosie deserves better.
We can't stop crying, here. We've signed and sent letters and emails and now this is one more thing we can do - ask for your help too, for Rosie.
Lots of love,
Nanook and Pooka
21 Barks Back:
Hey guys! I heard about this from Leroy already. Have already been composing a letter in my head.
I will need to think about posting on my blog. I know this is a horrible thing and needs people to show their anger. On the other hand, I work really hard to keep all "human" stuff (which this is) out of it. Let me think on it.
Mango Momma
Have signed petition - don't know if an English signature will help though. Am absolutely appalled by this. Why couldn't the police call your US equivalent of our RSPCA to tranquilise poor Rosie, who was probably terrified?
I signed the petition... This has been horribly upsetting. My heart goes out to those who loved Rosie. How terribly sad.....
Sadly, a similar incident happened to a Siberian Husky a few months ago. At first, there was little reaction from public officials until the pressure from the public grew. Be polite, be firm, but be loud. I have read multiple newspaper articles and the police report and see no justification for this murder.
Deawest Nanook and Pooka
I am howwified , saddened and outwaged..that poow sweet Wosie..she must have been fwightened out of hew mind..what monstews and idiots to have done this to her..heartless , cruel, incompwohensible.
I'm off to sign the petition and do anything else I can
sad sad smoochie kisses
plees stay safe
love
Asta
Oh no no no! Can't believe this. We are so so so so sorry! Saw on Mango's blog, and can't tell you how much our hearts are aching.
Will send notes and be politely heard. Very sorry for this situation.
Hugs and snaggle-tooth kisses,
Sierra Rose
Dear God! Why would they do such a thing? Of course the dog will become more scared if they taser her! Do those cops have any brains? Or do they just need to satisfy their desire for murder? I am sorry. I just hate it when this kind of thing happens to an innocent being. A being that feels pain and can be frightened. God be with Rosie's family. I am going right now to sign the petition.
Kim and the Katastrophies
What is happening over there. In Australia, lost dogs are picked by the local Council and kept until the owners are found. I have never heard of a dog being shot. This is absolutely shocking.
Hey guys! I posted about Rosie on my blog and included a link to your post. But if I am not mistaken, that is a photo of Pooka, right? Just want to clear things up in case some doggies think that is Rosie (or maybe I am wrong).
Slobbers,
Mango
P.S. I sent flowers to Rosie's family. There was a nice local flower lady who was acting as a go between to respect their privacy. And I saw the video of the memorial service which was so moving.
This makes us so sad and angry. We will sign the petition and spread the word. This is just awful and the IDIOTS that killed Rosie need to be punished, they certainly shouldn't have access to a gun or badge.
Thank you, Mango! You're right, that might be a bit confusing. It's actually a picture of Nanook, not Pooka. So I included a photo of Rosie, too.
Thank you everyone who has signed the petition. Though I've been thinking about it as justice for Rosie, the truth is - this has been happening a lot lately, to lots of different breeds, in many different cities. The primary difficulty resides in the fact that dogs are still considered chattel - property. If someone kills your dog, and you sue, the most money you will be granted is the purchase price of the dog in question - regardless of his or her importance to you. As someone who considers her Newfs nothing short of furry children and best friends, that mindset is completely alien to me. We need better legal safeguards in place for our fur kids, and police departments should have training in how to treat and humanely capture animals of all sorts. This sort of thing just shouldn't happen.
Thanks for all of your support, guys.
Love,
The Mama
We live in France and just signed the petition. We are truly appalled by all these trigger-happy policemen who get their kicks out of shooting harmless pets. Anyone who knows anything at all about Newfies knows how gentle and caring they are. We are so very sorry that this happened.
The Poupounette Gang
I came here from Asta and am just sick to read this. How heartbreaking and disgusting and awful - for Rosie; for her family. It's simply unconscionable and horrid. Like mango mom, must think about best way to make some little impact.
xoxoxo
Sammie, Avalon and Mom
Nannok and Pooka and Nessa,
I'm sowwy I used the wong pictoowe..Mommi is at wowk, but when she gets home tonight we'll wectify it..I'm so heawtbwoken fow Wosie and hew family and the whole community..this is shameless..I hope those officews nevew get to hold a gun again
I hope all of you awe well, even though I don't visit often, you awe in my heawts
smoochie kisses
ASTA
We heard about this. We saw it online and showed Mom. She cried over it and was very upset. She just does not understand. She's planning to do something about it, too. Thanks for the post!
~Milly and Shelby
What a horrible tragedy! I am shocked speechless and want to do anything I can to get the word out.
Oh. My. God.
Just. Oh my god. It made me sick to my stomach as I read what happened to her. I signed the petition, and I will make sure all of my friends and family do so. That poor dog. Her poor family. SO.. so terrible. This will give me nightmares. You know my family has always worried in the back of our minds about our newfoundland, Joseph getting out because we do not live far from a place where bears actually live. We were worried about him ever getting out, now we know people just can't be trusted and are stupid.
I will pray for Rosie's family, and for her soul in doggie heaven. It makes me cry knowing she died, terrified and alone and screaming. I have some tears as I write this. When I go home I am going to hug my newfie and hold him tightly. So tightly. God bless Rosie and her people.
The Police Department, Officers, Chief-of-Police, Mayor and Councilmen/women in question must not be allowed to sweep this horrific injustice under the rug.
They know it is a political and public-relations nightmare, and will avoid responsibility at all costs.
Thier feet need to be held to the fire regarding the unconsionable lapse in judgement on the part of all parties involved.
If these "Peace Officers" had been civilians, they would be prosecuted under "Pasado's Law", (RCW 16.52.205(1)),
anti-animal-cruelty legislation that was enacted after the torture and hanging of a petting zoo donkey on April 15th, 1992.
The officers should be convicted of felony animal cruelty.
In Washington state, convicted felons are prohibited from carrying firearms. (RCW 9.41.045(Possession by offenders))
Since the "Blue Line" will do anything to protect thier own, the police will march in lock-step to defend the actions of the fellow officers.
It is clear, in my mind, that the offenders will not be disciplined internally.
We need to go outside the department and convict these men in a criminal case.
Once convicted, they will be ineligible to continue to carry out the duties they so flagrantly disregarded in protecting the taxpayers who continue to pay thier salary.
These monsters work for _us_, and they MUST be held accountable.
We got mama to sign the petition and write the letters, although we're not sure how much Washington State cops are going to care about Maryland opinions.
In case you hadn't heard, the off-duty federal officer who shot Bear-Bear here in MD got PBJ [probation before judgement]. That's not even a slap on the wrist. The only penalty he's going to suffer in this life is having to pay his attorney. Disgusting. We just hope God's justice on him will be more appropriate.
Jed & Abby
How awful to think what poor Rosie went through. I hugged my newf after reading this. I signed the petition. On what level did the police ever think this was a good idea? It's like they were in a crazed frenzy. It actually maked me think of Frankenstein and the abuse he took because the town people didn't understand him. Rosie crossed the Rainbow Bridge. She may have had those few terrifying minutes but now she is at peace and frolicking with all her doggie friends. God Bless Rosie and her family. I will be praying for them and for justice.
I cried my eyes out when reading this, i couldn't stop picturing one of my knuckle heads in this situation, screaming their heads off because some bozo had shot them. These guys need to be stood down, immediately. Anyone else would have been charged with animal cruelty or the like, these guys need to be shown, and the police department needs to set the example, that a badge does not give immunity for stupidity. There's no way they'll be charged, but they should immediately be stripped of their jobs.
Out hearts go out to Rosie's family, and we know she'll be waiting for them over the bridge.
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