05/07/2026
This is a sad case and hard to watch, even though the news clip cuts off before showing anything graphic. We're completely bewildered by the officer's actions--entering a private backyard without apparent probable cause, even after seeing a dog free roaming in the backyard, still choosing to enter. We don't recommend leaving most dogs unattended in back yards, of course, but owners have every legal right to do so. The officer, on the other hand, does not have a legal right to enter private property absent narrow exceptions, none of which seem to apply here (such as exigent circumstances--hot pursuit, emergency aid, etc.)