Texas Couple Calls for Cop’s Job After Their Dog Dies
August 18, 2008 by Heather R.
Filed under Pets
This is sad all around.
Michael Gonzalez and his girlfriend Crystal Hernandez were rushing to the emergency vet to get their choking teacup poodle Missy some medical attention.
On the way they were pulled over by officer Paul Stephens who clocked them driving at 100mph, and then kept them at the side of the road for over 20 minutes, even after the couple tried to explain what was going on and asking if they could leave.
At one point, officer Stephens said “It’s a dog. It’s OK. You can get another one. Relax.” The whole incident was caught on tape from the officer’s patrol car. Missy died as Gonzalez waited for Stephens to issue a citation.
Stephens’ superiors did not find him guilty of misconduct, but have ordered that he attend counseling.
I agree that driving at over 100mph is way too excessive and puts not only the owners and the dog at risk but everyone else on the road as well. I don’t think the cop needed to drag the ordeal out after he found out what was happening. I doubt counseling is going to change that.
What do you think?
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I think it would have been nice if he could have escorted them to the vet. Telling them they can just “get another” one was disgusting. I agree that the guy was risking a lot of safety at that speed and that state of high emotion, but that was so incredibly insensitive to say that. The poor dog might have lived. Whether you’re a dog person or not, it’s a living creature who needed help. So sad.
This is horrible. I wonder if the cop would have allowed the passenger to get out and try to catch a ride with someone else.
No way could I watch my pet die like that. The officer must not be a pet lover.
I agree with the others. While driving at 100 mph is not safe for the drivers or others driving, once the cop found out what happened, taking his info and letting him go would have been good. I believe they are able to mail you tickets, why not just do that?
Driving at 100 mph is way to excesive. It borders on Reckless driving a class b misdemenor in my state of Texas. I love pets but not at the cost of human lives. Which the pet owners did by driving so fast. I am sorry for the dog but the officer did the correct thing.