UPDATE 11/1/11: More than a year ago, a dog named Parrot, in the care of Lucky Dog Rescue, was shot and killed by a police officer at the Adams Morgan festival in Washington, D.C. The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department "investigated" the incident, as did the Office of Police Complaints. Both recommended that the U.S. Attorney prosecute Office Fike criminally. Unbelievably, the U.S. Attorney declined. Soon thereafter, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department dismissed Lucky Dog's complaint against Officer Fike. No action was taken against him. They need to re-open the complaint and remove Officer Fike from the police force. They also need to take steps to prevent future tragic canine-police encounters by establishing non-lethal force continuums for handling animals and mandatory canine behavior training.

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On September 12, 2010, at the Adams Morgan festival in Washington, D.C., a dog named Parrot got into an altercation with a poodle. The caretakers had broken up the fight when D.C. police arrived on the scene. According to witnesses and photographs, the officer pinned Parrot to the ground with his knee, then hurled him down a concrete stairwell, and finally pulled out his weapon and shot him.

There is no evidence that Parrot was a threat, especially since photographs showed that he was contained. Stories of police shooting dogs are in the news all too often. It is not only a cruel death for the dogs, but it is devastating for their families and dangerous for people in the vicinity of the gunshots.

The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department needs to investigate Parrot's shooting and take appropriate action against the officer. They also need to prevent future tragic canine-police encounters by establishing non-lethal force continuums for handling animals and mandatory canine behavior training.

Demand Justice for Parrot.