In 2012, a Chocolate Lab-Pittie mix named Chloe got loose from her home in Colorado. When police responded to the scene, they caught the pup. After she was already in their custody, they shot her with a stun gun and then Officer Robert Price proceeded to shoot Chloe five times. She died of her injuries.
The entire incident was caught on tape. We are not showing the video here, but you can view it on news channel KDVR’s website.
Officer Price was charged with animal cruelty. Shockingly, the court acquitted him of the charge.
Chloe’s human, Gary Branson, still wanted justice for the beloved member of his family. He filed a federal civil lawsuit against Commerce City, Colorado.
The city, likely wanting to avoid a lengthy trial that would rack up expensive legal fees, settled with Gary this week. The settlement amount, $262,500, is historic. According to the Animal Law Center, it is the largest settlement relating to the death of pet in U.S. history.
The number of police shootings involving dogs is on the rise, but many police departments are working with dog behaviorists to understand how to properly approach a dog and limit the number of police related canine deaths. We hope even more law enforcement officers follow suit so that what happened to Chloe doesn’t happen to any other dog.