WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

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

The dog, a 40-pound bull terrier called Duchess, was shot three times by the officer after he knocked on the family’s front door in Florida 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 were inconsolable after their dog was shot (Picture: Florida police)

Gillian hugged the animal afterwards

Surveillance footage appears to back up the mother’s claim that the dog wasn’t being aggressive and wasn’t barking at the time.



The family, who were visibly distraught over the loss in photos taken after the incident, said they were not in any trouble with police and did not understand why their dog was killed for running into their garden.

Duchess

‘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.’

Gillian and her daughter Picture: Facebook)

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.

The aftermath

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.’

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https://metro.co.uk/2015/10/20/police-gave-this-k-9-dog-the-perfect-tribute-on-his-deathbed-5450826/