# What happens to your dog if you're arrested



## ristakrat (Jun 10, 2010)

This is an odd question but I was wondering what the police department would do to a dog that was in a car when the driver was arrested for whatever. What if the dog was aggressive towards them?
Also, say I was at a peaceful demonstration with my dog and the police or military was summoned (happens more than you think) and I was arrested. (yeah right I would run like ****) What would happen to my dog who would fight to protect me. I am not seriously considering taking him to a demonstration at this time but I have seen other dogs at them and am curious. What is the police/ military's policy for arrested individual's pets? Especially if the dog is aggressive towards them.


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## Greydusk (Mar 26, 2010)

I'm sure they just call animal control.


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## HankGSD (Oct 28, 2010)

Where I work, if a person is arrested with a pet in the car, the pet will be taken to the animal shelter. If a dog is aggressive, the officers will use a dog stick/snare. However if the dog were to attempt to attack an officer, etc., it very well could be shot.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Daryl? _Daryl Hannah_?


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

I was called in when I worked ACO. They cannot tow a car with a dog in it. Once I had to get a dog AND a cat. That was interesting...


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## ristakrat (Jun 10, 2010)

msvette2u said:


> I was called in when I worked ACO. They cannot tow a car with a dog in it. Once I had to get a dog AND a cat. That was interesting...


haha! good to know as I sometimes travel with my dog and my cats


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Just behave and don't get arrested


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

ristakrat said:


> haha! good to know as I sometimes travel with my dog and my cats


Well do the arresting officers a favor and stick 'em in crates  :laugh:


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## ristakrat (Jun 10, 2010)

Lolol


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

ristakrat said:


> Also, say I was at a peaceful demonstration with my dog and the police or military was summoned (happens more than you think) and I was arrested. (yeah right I would run like ****) What would happen to my dog who would fight to protect me.


He wouldn't have any reason to fight to protect you if you went along with the nice officer and acted like you were willing to go. Why would you have your dog at a place where you're likely to be arrested anyway? 

My dad's a firefighter and was called to assist a lady who had collapsed while she was jogging with her German Shepherd. The dog wouldn't let anyone come near his owner, and the responding police officer wanted to shoot the dog. My dad, being a dog person, made the decision to delay the lady's care while they snared the dog and got him pulled away. 

So the moral of the story is that it's kind of the luck of the draw on how the officer or emergency responder chooses to act. Some would say my dad made a bad choice and should have killed the dog so he could care for the human faster.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Like in Jane Eyre, how to stay out of the Fiery Pitt, "I must stay in good health and not die."

I must obey the law and be nice to the police officers, that way I do not get arrested and my dog is not in danger. So even if it hurts, be polite if you have a dog with you. Get arrested when the dog is at home if you must. 

One time, I was with Jenna and this guy was being so irritating, and I was getting hot, Jenna was picking up on it. I would have been arrested that day if it had not been for Jenna. Because the ONLY reason I shut my mouth was because I had her there with me, and I had no idea what they would do with her. We do not exactly have a government run shelter around here, they could call the dog warden I guess. So I came to my senses, and shut up.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Before you leave for the bank heist...errr, I mean peaceful protest...leave the dogs at home with lots of food and water. Leave a note in your pocket, where the cops will find it when they search you, with your address and feeding instructions.


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

The dogs go to animal control. Same thing if you are in an accident and are transported to the hospital. Back in January I was coming home from Nashville with my new pup, Uma. I was only about 20 minutes from home on Hwy 20 (speed limit 55) when I realized there were headlights in my lane coming straight at me. I managed to avoid a full head on collision thanks to my training days at Road Atlanta, but my car was still totaled. Luckily my daughter was just fine, and she saved the puppy by ducking over her. My side of the car took the brunt of the damage and I was kind of banged up. They were loading me in the ambulance when I thought to ask what they would do with the dogs (my 3 yo Lancashire Heeler was also in the car, also unhurt although I have no idea how). They told me they'd take the dogs to Animal Control. I immediately vetoed the ambulance ride since there was no way they were taking my brand new, extremely vulnerable 8wo pup to AC! Since I had already called my husband and knew he was on the way I told them I'd wait for him. I had to sign something saying I'd declined medical treatment and went on my way.

Annette


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

My one phone call -- supposed to be for a lawyer, I be callin' my Dad, and telling him to feed the dogs. LOL!


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

We actually rescued a dog from a/c whose owner was arrested. 
The dog was so pissy upon arrival (senior Choc. Lab x Chessie) they listed her as a bite risk and whatnot.
She'd been in a/c a month before becoming adoptable as the guy did not claim her after he was released. 

So we enter the picture and rescue the dog, she reminded me of another Choc. x Chessie we'd rescued about 2yrs. prior and I thought (dumb of me, I know!) she'd have a similar temperament.
Well, wrong...she came to us and really had no use for us at all! I was sad, but figured, well, we'll do our best and find her a great home...

Until about 5 days later, an 18yr. old girl found her on our PF page and wrote to tell us that was her dog! She had proof and everything - turned out her dad had taken the dog when her mom and he divorced, and he'd gotten picked up DUI. Abby (the dog) was going to be PTS except we saved her and brought her here to our rescue.

I told the girl if she could pay us a minimal fee for the microchip we were going to implant so we could adopt the dog to her and she'd have legal proof (in case her idiot dad tried to get the dog back) we'd just let her have the dog, despite that she lived in a dorm situation, I knew she'd make it work for the dog's sake.

I witnessed one of the most touching things I've seen in rescue when the girl came to get her dog. I was waiting outside with Abby and the girl comes striding across the lawn. Abby noticed someone was coming to visit, and she was watching the girl - her stoic and mega-grouchy self started just melting and recognition spread across her face - her tail started wagging slowly and then the wag moved up and took over her whole body as she wiggled like a puppy! 

I was moved to tears and still get misty when I think of that poor dog, taken from her family just to hurt them, then being manhandled out of the car and stuck in a kennel for over a month...even the relief of being in rescue didn't do the trick but boy, meeting up with her person again sure did...

Good times


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## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

jax08 said:


> daryl? _daryl hannah_?


lolololol!


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

selzer said:


> My one phone call -- supposed to be for a lawyer, I be callin' my Dad, and telling him to feed the dogs. LOL!


No, you call a lawyer and ask him to pass the word along


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

msvette2u said:


> No, you call a lawyer and ask him to pass the word along


no, call your dad. Tell him to feed the dogs and call a lawyer.  Oh, and bring bail money (or at least a carton of smokes!)


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

:laugh::laugh: I'd need my laptop, not a carton of smokes! lol


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Actually, I would call Mom. Mom will have Dad take care of the dogs, will call my sister to set up bail money and find a lawyer. And I would rather face a magistrate and jail time than face the family after anything like that.


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## e.rigby (May 28, 2011)

Dog shot during during felony stop (the driver/family was innocent of any crimes) Police shoot family dog during 'felony stop' - YouTube

Traffic stop traumatizes family

I know it's probably not the norm, but it's scary to think it could happen


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

Most of the time they will call out Animal Control to take custody of the animals in the vehicle. If they are at home they leave them at home unless there won't be anyone to care for the animals for a period of time. Also they will let you try to make contact with someone to come get the animals either from your location or directly from animal control. If it is an aggressive animal they use the snare to remove the animal. A tow company will never tow a vehicle with animals in it they must be removed first. Animals should never be hurt during an arrest and if someone shoots them it is generally a poor decision unless they were protecting life and the animal was a threat to that life, even still they usually try everything in their power to place the animals somewhere safe be it at animal control until the owner/family can pick it up or having someone directly pick up at the scene. 

This is what *we* do in a situation like this. (I work for a local police dept and that is what our protocol requires us to do.) One time we even had to remove a large box of "breeding turtles" and a birdcage to ACO. LOL


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## Draugr (Jul 8, 2011)

The "one phone call" thing is nonsense. On a federal level, at least, there's no law that I'm aware of requiring that detainees be given phone access, and there's not any in my state that I'm aware of either (could be different in other states). I think they are required to be given access to bondsman though and that naturally requires a phone, so they are required to have phone access incidentally - but not specifically.

We give people as many phone calls as they need, however. We have to deal with them 12 hours a night and for as long as they are in jail...and if they come back on a court-ordered sentence as an inmate. And it's not really any burden to us to allow them to use the phone to make a few collect calls.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

e.rigby said:


> Dog shot during during felony stop (the driver/family was innocent of any crimes) Police shoot family dog during 'felony stop' - YouTube
> 
> Traffic stop traumatizes family
> 
> I know it's probably not the norm, but it's scary to think it could happen



That is what I thought of when I saw this thread. I'll never forget that video.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Draugr said:


> The "one phone call" thing is nonsense. On a federal level, at least, there's no law that I'm aware of requiring that detainees be given phone access, and there's not any in my state that I'm aware of either (could be different in other states). I think they are required to be given access to bondsman though and that naturally requires a phone, so they are required to have phone access incidentally - but not specifically.
> 
> We give people as many phone calls as they need, however. We have to deal with them 12 hours a night and for as long as they are in jail...and if they come back on a court-ordered sentence as an inmate. And it's not really any burden to us to allow them to use the phone to make a few collect calls.


One thing I don't care if everyone thinks I am totally ignorant about is our penal system and how it works from an inmate's point of view. LOL!


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