Training call after dogs shot dead by Met Police officers

One of the UK’s leading clinical animal behaviourists has called for more training to be given to police after two dogs were shot dead by Metropolitan Police officers on the streets of London.

The shootings took place in the Tower Hamlets area on 7 May and footage of the incident has provoked widespread outrage.

Hundreds of thousands of people have signed a petition demanding a criminal investigation into the incident, which saw police called following reports of an attack involving dogs owned by a homeless man.

Both dogs were subsequently shot dead by members of a Met armed response unit.

Referred

The case has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

A Change.org petition to the Home Office calling for the Metropolitan Police to be held criminally accountable has already gathered more than 885,000 signatures, and the incident has been widely condemned across the veterinary profession.

After reviewing the footage, Kendal Shepherd – who has more than 40 years’ experience as a vet and clinical animal behaviourist – and canine behaviourist Helen Howell published an open letter in which they described the behaviour of officers involved in the incident as evidence of “a lack of appropriate training”.

Different approach

Speaking to Vet Times, Dr Shepherd added: “The way police normally approach the arrest of a suspect cannot be used if a person is accompanied by a dog. They must recognise the dog‑human bond and how their own behaviour can impact upon it.

“Asking a person to hand over a dog can be akin to taking a child away, so it is not just canine behaviour that must be taken into account, but human as well.

“From [the] video I have watched, the dogs were relaxed and ‘happy’ to begin with despite the shouting and being followed. There is no reason they could not have remained so if they and the owner had not been being treated as criminals already, and the officers had carried dog treats instead of guns.”

‘Prejudice and moral panic’

Dr Shepherd, who is often called as an expert court witness on canine behaviour, also pointed to the much‑maligned Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) as a potential factor in the shooting of the two dogs in east London – both of which were of bull terrier type.

She said: “What I would add to the need for proper training is that the appalling incident highlights the prejudice and moral panic that has been created by UK ‘dangerous dogs’ law regarding certain dog types since 1991.”

The BVA declined to comment in detail due to the ongoing investigation into the case, but president Malcolm Morley described the incident as “shocking”.

‘Distressing’

The RSPCA issued the following statement in response to the case: “This was a challenging incident and distressing for everyone involved.

“The footage is so upsetting to watch, and there’s been understandable sadness from so many animal lovers since the footage emerged.

“The Metropolitan Police has reviewed the actions taken on the day.

“We hope any investigation and any subsequent court hearing continues to explore the decision‑making process leading to this use of force, and whether all options had been considered and exhausted first.

“The RSPCA is ready to provide any support we can to ensure police officers safeguard animal welfare while safely carrying out their work.”

The Met Police were approached for comment.