Animal lovers wanted to know why the officer didn’t sweet-talk the dog or use a non-lethal deterent instead. The U.S. Department of Justice estimates law enforcement kill 10,000 dogs a year! “It is impossible to ascertain a reliable number, however, because most law enforcement agencies do not maintain accurate records of animal killings. The report notes that law enforcement have lots of leeway in how they respond when they feel endangered, but findings suggest many of these shootings are completely unnecessary. They offer a model policy for law enforcement agencies that Arkansas police might consider going forward: