An eastern Ontario man is seeking justice after his Dalmatian was shot and killed by a provincial police officer last weekend.
"He had the gun pointed at the dog and he shot the dog . . . it was like losing a friend," said Ted Trought, who lives in Verona, northwest of Kingston. Trought alleges the incident was unprovoked and unnecessary.
He told CTV Ottawa the shooting happened when two Ontario provincial police officers showed up at his door to question him about a vehicle registered in his name. As Trought was speaking to one of the officers, his seven-year-old dog Guinness was shot by the other.
"There was a popping noise; the dog ran down the hill . . . This officer said to me, 'The dog was shot,'" recalled Trought, who said he started yelling at the officer when he realized what happened.
Although Trought is convinced using a gun was not necessary, the OPP Frontenac detachment commander disagrees.
The commander told CTV Ottawa the use of force appears to be justified. He said the officer reported that the dog was acting aggressive and he felt threatened.
But Trought is far from convinced by that argument.
"(The officer) didn't indicate any distress to his partner or to me," he said. "I could have whistled and the dog would have come to me -- he's trained to do that. No one indicated he was in any stress."
Now, Trought is asking the OPP to launch an investigation into Guinness's death. He is also considering legal action to get justice for his pet.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Vanessa Lee
