Police officers attend where they suspect a crime is being committed or a criminal lives. The dogs at these places are often trained to attack and even kill. This is not about saving the life of a family pet, or delivering mail (to the front of the house), or reading a meter.

Out of many letters to the Province, only three get at the truth.

The Province
Monday, January 26, 2004

Why can't police use pepper spray in situations where dogs are involved? I've worked for Canada Post for many years as a driver/letter carrier. I know that dogs are agitated by a uniform, but I've never seen or heard of a situation where pepper spray wasn't adequate.
Marilyn Aikman,
Vancouver

Every day metre readers, postal workers, couriers and other workers go to people's homes. None of them need to kill our dogs in self-defence. I don't care what kind of doublespeak the police department comes up with to rationalize this, it was a criminal act.
Mark English,
Vancouver

On Monday, a man (a hero) jumped into a water-filled ditch and save the life of a not only the woman driver but also the life of her frightened Rottweiler dog, which bit him numerous time before finally being freed. The rescuer said it's something that anyone would do. You would like to think so. With a cool head, this man saved lives On Wednesday, a member of the Vancouver Police Department armed with a gun entered a private property, lost his cool and shot an eight-year-old family pet rather than take a chance of getting nipped in the butt. Yes, the officer was only doing his job, but so was the dog. I thought cool, calm and collected was part of an officer's job. I wonder how the Bains's mail carrier did his job unarmed?
Steve Molison

Dogs are social animals and when left chained up they are lonely, isolated and can become very aggressive and dangerous. This police officer probably did this dog a favour by putting it out of its misery. Anyone who chains up a "beloved pet" doesn't know anything about loving a pet.
James Berger,
Vancouver

If this police officer was "following his training," then the training needs to be changed. Couldn't the officer have shot his gun off in the air to scare the dog? Dealing with dogs is not rocket science, especially if the dog is contained.
Hailey Jones,
Hope

Now that a police officer has discharged his gun because of a chained yard dog, I urge the City of Vancouver to create and enforce a bylaw that says if you have a dog, it must be kept inside the home.
Emma Vandewetering,
Port Moody

I am appalled by the fact the police force in Vancouver thinks it's above the law. It's my belief the police always go one step too far. And yet they always seem to get away with the crime, whether it's killing a dog or beating up a person. This has to stop. The officer obviously thought he could take the law into his own hands.
Karolina Lutoborska,
Vancouver