The media are prone to spin an issue for the flavour of the month, and this month appears to be "Police Brutality Month". Will it ever be "Unchain Dogs Month"? Where are the letters from all the people who we know wrote to say how wrong it is to chain a dog?

The real story is first, that the VPD itself tells people to get a guard dog. Second that the City and the SPCA will not prevent this treatment of dogs that makes them dangerous and gets them killed, in this case by the police, but also by the City pound. In either case City taxpayers pay to kill dogs that had no choice in how their lives were lived, who suffer and die, and who sometimes get free at last and attack someone, usually a child.

In Tommy's memory, and in the memory of all dogs that live and die on chains, AAS is not going to stop its fight to make the City and the SPCA prevent this cruelty and danger to children.

Sunday, January 25, 2004

Tommy, a family dog chained in a yard, was shot by a police officer Wednesday. God help us all if our pets are perceived as threats and met with this very disturbing overreaction from trained police officers! We wish to express our deepest sympathy to the Bains family for the loss of their beloved Tommy.

Gregg and Colleen Garbe, Vancouver

Did the officer not hear the chain rattling as the dog approached him? Could the officer not have shot into the ground to try and scare or stop the dog's approach? Shooting into the ground would have also alerted the residents of the house, who might have explained the dog was chained and harmless.I have two dogs and let me tell you, I'd be seeking legal action immediately!

Cody Cruise, Mission

As a dog owner, I can understand the deep sadness the family must feel for their beloved pet. I can also appreciate that shooting the dog was an accident. The police officer must feel miserable.However, I have never chained any of my dogs to a fence or a solid object. Doing that only makes dogs more aggressive and territorial. Proper obedience training and a good kennel would have prevented this tragedy. Dog ownership is a lot of responsibility; dogs are meant to be part of your family, not tied up to a seven-metre chain.

W. Seto, Delta

Don't they carry stun guns?

L. Shoaf, Westbank

I fear that excessive use of police force on animals will be condoned if the murder of Tommy Bains goes unpunished then .I am the father of Deka, my beloved lab/rottweiler cross. He would have done the same for my family, and I for him. Mind you, Deka sleeps inside the house on my bed or on his own, depending on his mood. But he often steps outside unattended into our high-fenced back yard for his own personal business. Now I am scared he may be shot if one of my family is ever to be a witness of interest to the police. This is disturbing.

Stephen Kronstein, Richmond

My big trusting blue eyes were swimming with tears when I read this story ("Moans of grief . . . the first night without the trusting brown eyes of their beloved family dog Tommy.") Gee, I thought sadly, I always thought newspapers were supposed to leave out the appeals to emotion and just present the facts. But this story is so obviously biased against the police officer.Your reporting is only one tiny step away from "Buy this newspaper or we'll shoot this puppy."

Noah Stewart, Vancouver

This story made me cry. I'm a huge animal lover and I couldn't stop crying when I read about Tommy. It's just like having a family member die when something like this happens. I understand the police officer was just "assessing the situation," but he still was a family dog.
This family deserves reimbursement for their huge loss.

Candace Teuner

The dog Tommy was looking after his family. A man with a gun came on his property and Tommy didn't know him. Tommy was only doing his job, and doing it well, backing the officer off the property. He never bit him. He just barked and that is what you want your dog to do; to let you know a stranger is around. Any dog can smell danger and a gun, no matter who is wearing it, is danger. Any officer who knows his job should know that.

Vickie Parry, Surrey

The police in Vancouver are pretty handy at shooting family pets in the line of duty! This dog was protecting its family and was murdered for doing it.

Brad McLean, Vancouver

Tommy on his chain....