Harassment by Animal Control with False Info and Refusal to Show ID

[Harassed1234]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

[Harassed1234]

Animal control came to my house last night with a report of a black & white dog with injured back legs. I do not own a black dog and have no injured dog. I have 2 small dogs - one white one light brown & white. Both are licensed, up to date on shots and extremely well maintained. They are my companion dogs. The officer knew what dogs & what color they are due to licensing. He insisted I bring both of them out in harnesses. I asked for his ID - it was after 6 pm and I didn't feel comfortable bringing my dogs out to someone without ID. He turned around and muttered "police". I asked him "what?" and he said it was procedure to call the police since I asked for ID. I harnessed my dogs and waited on the driveway for 25 minutes. The police officer came and talked to the animal control guy. He then spoke to me and kept repeating "black & white dog" & he also said that animal control does not have to show ID.. I explained to him that I knew nothing about a black and white dog. After talking awhile the officer went back to the animal control guy and they laughed together. They then both drove away. I was harassed, humiliated and made to feel bad for something I didn't do. They received false information and also refused to investigate neighboring homes for a black, injured dog. I felt like I was singled out for an unknown reason. I've lived in my home 30 years and have never been involved in anything criminal. I follow all rules & laws.

 

[quincy]

Animal control came to my house last night with a report of a black & white dog with injured back legs. I do not own a black dog and have no injured dog. I have 2 small dogs - one white one light brown & white. Both are licensed, up to date on shots and extremely well maintained. They are my companion dogs. The officer knew what dogs & what color they are due to licensing. He insisted I bring both of them out in harnesses. I asked for his ID - it was after 6 pm and I didn't feel comfortable bringing my dogs out to someone without ID. He turned around and muttered "police". I asked him "what?" and he said it was procedure to call the police since I asked for ID. I harnessed my dogs and waited on the driveway for 25 minutes. The police officer came and talked to the animal control guy. He then spoke to me and kept repeating "black & white dog" & he also said that animal control does not have to show ID.. I explained to him that I knew nothing about a black and white dog. After talking awhile the officer went back to the animal control guy and they laughed together. They then both drove away. I was harassed, humiliated and made to feel bad for something I didn't do. They received false information and also refused to investigate neighboring homes for a black, injured dog. I felt like I was singled out for an unknown reason. I've lived in my home 30 years and have never been involved in anything criminal. I follow all rules & laws.

What is the name of your state?

"Harassment" law elements generally require that there has been repeated incidents, not just a single incident.

 

[Silverplum]

Animal control came to my house last night with a report of a black & white dog with injured back legs. I do not own a black dog and have no injured dog. I have 2 small dogs - one white one light brown & white. Both are licensed, up to date on shots and extremely well maintained. They are my companion dogs. The officer knew what dogs & what color they are due to licensing. He insisted I bring both of them out in harnesses. I asked for his ID - it was after 6 pm and I didn't feel comfortable bringing my dogs out to someone without ID. He turned around and muttered "police". I asked him "what?" and he said it was procedure to call the police since I asked for ID. I harnessed my dogs and waited on the driveway for 25 minutes. The police officer came and talked to the animal control guy. He then spoke to me and kept repeating "black & white dog" & he also said that animal control does not have to show ID.. I explained to him that I knew nothing about a black and white dog. After talking awhile the officer went back to the animal control guy and they laughed together. They then both drove away. I was harassed, humiliated and made to feel bad for something I didn't do. They received false information and also refused to investigate neighboring homes for a black, injured dog. I felt like I was singled out for an unknown reason. I've lived in my home 30 years and have never been involved in anything criminal. I follow all rules & laws.

What's the name of your US state? And do you have a legal question?

 

[Gail in Georgia]

You weren't singled out and you weren't harassed. You had to wait 25 minutes because you're the one who insisted the officer (who you knew was from Animal Control) show some type of ID (what; he was going to steal your dogs?).

Likely someone in the neighborhood reported an injured black and white dog running loose and the officer was trying track down the owner. Not an easy job for them.

We had someone show up at our place a couple of years ago. We believe he was supposed to check out our backyard chickens but the guy was confused and asked about our dogs. Bill took them out one at a time and he saw they were both well fed and healthy. The "check up" took all of five minutes.

Neither one of us felt "harassed" (most folks have no idea what this means anyway). Get over it.

Gail

 

[LdiJ]

You weren't singled out and you weren't harassed. You had to wait 25 minutes because you're the one who insisted the officer (who you knew was from Animal Control) show some type of ID (what; he was going to steal your dogs?).

Actually sometimes animals get seized when they should not be seized, therefore the OP was not wrong to be concerned and to insist on due process.

 

[Gail in Georgia]

Well then he/she gets to wait 25 minutes for the police to show up. What nonsense.

Gail

 

[CdwJava]

Next time, maybe show them that the only dogs you have are uninjured. They could then have departed in a couple of minutes instead of a half an hour.

 

[cbg]

Actually sometimes animals get seized when they should not be seized, therefore the OP was not wrong to be concerned and to insist on due process.

Which does not mean that the OP has any legal claim for harassment. Or anything else, for that matter. I know you know this, LdiJ - just making it clear for the OP.