Heyburn, ID — In yet another terrible display of state authority over compassion, police carried out a despicable act of puppycide this past Saturday. A pair of dogs found wandering loose on Interstate 84 near Heyburn became the latest victims in the alarmingly frequent incidents of law enforcement officers discharging their firearms on man’s best friend. This act of thoughtless violence occurred near exit 211 just before 6 p.m., a news release from the Heyburn Police Department revealed.
According to Free Thought Project; Cops on scene alleged that the animals were causing traffic to grind to a halt and posed a safety hazard. According to the release, “The speed limit of this section of interstate is 80 miles per hour and traffic cannot stop abruptly.” The dogs, according to the police, were said to be large and unresponsive to the officers’ calls and whistles, and were reportedly causing a traffic backlog.
According to the official police account, the safety of the ‘motoring public’ at the expense of two lives was the trade-off they were willing to make. With heavy Memorial Day traffic, the officers claimed they had no other option but to gun down these two creatures at 6:03 p.m. — just 3 minutes after arriving on the scene. Each dog was shot once and removed from the highway.
Stephanie Carsner, an individual working for an animal rescue shelter and an eyewitness to the event, tells a much different story, however. Carsner had reportedly obtained permission from the Idaho State Police to attempt to corral the dogs. In a now-viral Facebook post, she described the animals as thirsty but “not at all aggressive.”
She recounts how they were close to successfully grabbing the dogs when an officer arrived and inquired if the dogs belonged to her. After his unsolicited advice that she should be home, the officer brazenly announced his intent to shoot the dogs. Carsner wrote, “I screamed (sic) no he isn’t because I’m there as a rescue & myself & DOZENS of others almost had the dogs in hand.”
Yet, seemingly unable to control the impulse to end life, the officer proceeded to jump into his vehicle, followed by other law enforcement officials, and committed the act Carsner calls “unnecessary.” She vehemently called for the officer’s dismissal and ‘justice for these fur babies.’
Police justification for such acts often mirrors the Heyburn department’s line: that the dogs were presenting “potential safety risks” to the public. But this narrative is getting old and, quite frankly, is not an excuse for firing on animals when there are often non-lethal alternatives available — like professional dog rescuers.
“It is vital to note, the above information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation. The understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed by investigators,” the police stated, in what may seem like an attempt to cover their tracks.
A GoFundMe campaign was started to bring an animal cruelty case against the officers, and the details on this page are in stark contrast with the official police narrative.
Multiple onlookers contend that Idaho State Police, who initially responded, had the situation under control and had even given clearance for animal rescuers to retrieve the dogs safely.
Witnesses report that Officer Tomander was on the scene for barely three minutes before he informed Carsner of his intent to shoot the dogs. They allege that Tomander, rather than considering alternative, non-lethal approaches, arrived with a predetermined resolution to kill.
In a heart-wrenching description, witnesses explain that the rescue worker had almost secured one of the dogs on a leash when Tomander and two other officers pulled up, startling the already terrified animals. They rushed to the emergency lane, with Officer Tomander allegedly following close behind. He shot the dogs at close range from approximately 5-7 feet away — yet still missed kill shots, causing the dogs to suffer immensely.
In the aftermath, one dog named Luna, a Weimaraner, ran in circles, crying out in pain before collapsing. The other dog, a Great Pyrenees named Boomer, was struck in the hip, disabling him and leaving him to whimper in agony.
Contrary to the official statement, the dogs were reportedly on the side of the road, not impeding traffic when they were shot. However, the three officers’ vehicles were parked in the traffic lanes, effectively obstructing the flow.
The scene unfolded before hundreds of shocked onlookers, including children, deeply traumatizing many who witnessed the dogs’ violent end. It’s vital to underscore that these dogs were not random strays; they lived just a half-mile from the scene of the shooting.
