City of Sturgeon: Police officer shoots blind dog because he thinks he has rabies

STURGEON, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Sturgeon police officer shot and killed a blind dog Sunday afternoon, according to a social media post from the city of Sturgeon on Monday.

The post states that police were called to an area for a report of an “injured animal on the loose.” The post states that the officer saw the dog “acting strangely and showing signs of possible injury,” which was “perceived as rabid behavior.”

The post said the officer felt the only option was to kill the animal because he thought it had rabies. However, the post states that it was later revealed that the dog’s behavior was due to his blindness.

“Unfortunately, the animal’s lack of a collar or tag influenced the SPD officer’s decision to euthanize the animal as he believed the animal was injured, sick and abandoned,” the statement said.

The post does not describe the breed or size of the dog. The post received 72 comments, most of which were critical of the city and the officer.

A person who interacted with the dog and wished to remain anonymous for fear of possible retaliation filed a complaint with the city Monday morning. Screenshots sent to ABC 17 News show the deputy city clerk said in an email that the city attorney received the complaint by 11:55 a.m

The person sent a copy of the complaint to ABC 17 News. The complaint states that the dog was allegedly blind in one eye and the person who filed the complaint called Boone County Joint Communications for help locating the owner. The dog is said to have wandered to her apartment. The complaint states the caller allegedly told Joint Communications that the dog was not aggressive.

The complaint alleges that the caller heard several gunshots approximately 30 to 45 minutes after initially calling Joint Communications.