Source
r/AskReddit•
Idriveit

First responders: A question about pets in emergencies.

Say you were called to a house for something like a welfare check and nobody answered the door, but you could hear a large dog barking inside. What is the protocol for dealing with the dog? I mean, you can't just say that you couldn't check on the person, right?

Similarly, what if you had to respond to a car accident and there was a dog in the wrecked car? If the dog was injured (and possibly aggressive) or trying to protect an injured occupant in the car?

Posted Oct 31, 2011, 3:57 AM UTC

36
vanishing_point•

In larger cities/counties, animal control handles it. In smaller cities/counties, the officer(s) at the scene make a judgement call.

3
IdriveitOP•

Is it a matter of opening the door and hoping to hook the dog before it gets out?

1
vanishing_point•

Legalities may vary in your area. I know around here there's a lot of dog-in-hot-car in the summer stuff, and they can and will bust a window if they have to.

1
zvoidx•

I wondered the same thing; burning house/pit bulls.

2
IdriveitOP•

I have Shepherds and they are sweet as can be. But if a stranger comes to the house or gets too close to my kids, they are in full-on guard mode.

3
zvoidx•

I'm thinking maybe in an emergency fire situation there will be no time for any specialists, like Animal Control, and the firemen would hit a dog with an axe or whatever was available to get them out of the way.

I would think with all the excitement, bright fire and people panicking in the house; seeing some strangers crash the door, the dogs may equate them with being on the side of the fire.

I'm interested in hearing an answer to your question from someone in the field.

1