Preventing Potential Death of K-9
The ADVANCED TASER is not specifically recommended for use against animals as its main function. The main reason is that the ADVANCED TASER was created for “human nervous systems” not animals. Moreover, the ADVANCED TASER is designed to hit a standing vertical target which most animals are not. The shot would have to be altered and somehow aimed at the side of the animals where the wide center of mass is located and most animals don’t attack from the side. Also, animals tend to recover very quickly compared to humans when hit by TASERs. The civilian range of 15 feet is somewhat limiting, too although law enforcement has cartridges for 21 feet. More research is required.
With that being said, there is still a good chance that the ADVANCED TASER would work on some animals temporarily. We have received several reports of police officers using the ADVANCED TASER on pitbulls during warrant entries and also where a pitbulls have attacked other dogs. It was used successfully in Titusville, FL police against a pitbull who was attacking and nearly killed a police K-9 dog. Kicks, baton strikes and pepper spray was ineffective on this pitbull. The pitbull was hit by the M26 ADVANCED TASER and both probes stuck in the side of the pitbull. It went on its back during the 5-second cycle. A dog handler was near with a pole and a collar and quickly slipped it over the dog’s head successfully subduing it. The San Diego Police subdued a pitbull that was in a living room attacking another pitbull. The officer on scene was able to shoot probes into the dog and an animal control officer was able to collar the dog successfully. The older AIR TASER with only 7 Watts of power was also used to stop a pitbull that had jumped through a living room of a family and attacked the resident’s pitbull. The two pitbulls fought for quite some time until San Diego PD deployed the AIR TASER successfully against one of the pitbulls and was able to be subdued by animal control (there is video of this event on VHS tape if you need it).
The more information we receive is that the ADVANCED TASER is working well against aggressive pitbulls. We in fact, now recommend that officers “try” the ADVANCED TASER against the dogs and let us know of their success. It is still an unknown area for us as we don’t teach animal control tactics. However, the ADVANCED TASER is something that can be tried, but a game plan must be in place as to officer safety, deploying from cover, having lethal cover, and an animal control officer ready to subdue the dog during the 5-second cycle. Safety-wise, the electrical current won’t pose a problem to the dogs. However, if a plan of what to do with the dogs is not formulated, the officers will be at risk.
For more information on the affect of the TASER on animals, please visit www.TASER.com.