Salisbury NC Police Dept is investigating on officer after a video was anonymously obtained that captured the K-9 Officer abusing 4 year old German Shepherd Zuul during training. He is seen first yelling at the dog, then wrangling it into a leash which he then used to haul the dog up behind his back. The video, released by WJZY-TV of Charlotte, NC, then shows the officer slamming the K-9 Officer into the side of the vehicle, and then striking the dog.

Chief Jerry Stokes of Salisbury says the incident is under investigation and the officer has been separated from his K-9 partner. This is not enough! House Res. 1791 Federal Law Enforcement Animal Protection Act, allows the Federal government to, "prohibit and set penalties for, ANY person willfully and maliciously harming a police animal or attempting or conspiring to do so". This officer should be fired and charged with a Felony Animal Cruelty charge. A K9 Officer assists its partner with not only law enforcement activities but protecting his/her life. This dog may not be able to trust a handler again and have to be retired.

This so called officer is a danger not only to Zuul, but to his fellow officers, and the citizens he is supposed to be serving. As for the officers in the video who can be heard asking, "Is your body camera on?" and, "We're good, no witnesses" (laughing), they need to be fired or severely disciplined. Maybe the Salisbury police force needs to have their 5 K-9 unit decommissioned if they can't correctly and humanely train and handle the K9 Officers. It is inconceivable to me how this was allowed to happen and how it was not reported at the time. There is no just finding of this investigation other than to fire and charge this officer.