EDITORIAL: Military dog’s death a tragedy, but defending against aggressive animals is necessary

Posted 10/20/15

We are saddened over the death of Mike the dog, and we sympathize with his owner, local Army veteran Matthew Bessler. Mike was more than just a dog for Bessler; this 10-year-old Belgian Malinois had been with Bessler since he was a puppy and served …

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EDITORIAL: Military dog’s death a tragedy, but defending against aggressive animals is necessary

Posted

Powell made international news recently, but not for a reason we are happy about. Last week, a retired military dog died after being shot by a bicyclist who claimed it was an act of self-defense.

We are saddened over the death of Mike the dog, and we sympathize with his owner, local Army veteran Matthew Bessler. Mike was more than just a dog for Bessler; this 10-year-old Belgian Malinois had been with Bessler since he was a puppy and served by his side during two tours in Iraq. Both returned home to Powell with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Mike transitioned from being a combat dog to a service dog.

This transition garnered attention from the Washington Post in July, and we were proud to be known as the home of two very unique veterans. It is unfortunate that the follow-up story on the duo is a tragic one, and we hope Bessler and his loved ones know we empathize with their sadness over Mike’s passing.

As a veteran, Mike deserves a burial with military honors — as Bessler hopes he will have.

But, we have to remember that, although Mike was a very special dog, he still was an animal. When an animal shows signs of aggression toward a person, that person has the right to defend himself or herself.

There were no witnesses to the incident, so the bicyclist’s report to the Sheriff’s Office is the only source of information.

Bessler had been hunting in the Big Horn Mountains at the time. The friend who was caring for Mike told the Park County Sheriff’s Office they had no idea how the dog had escaped from Bessler’s residence, said Park County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lance Mathess.

The bicyclist who shot Mike was not injured in the incident, but he believed he could have been had he not acted quickly.

According to the account he gave to the Park County Sheriff’s Office, the 59-year-old Powell man was turning north onto Road 5 from Lane 9 when he was “attacked” by a “German shepherd-looking dog.”

If the bicyclist’s account is true, we are relieved it involved an armed adult rather than a defenseless child, as the outcome could have been much worse.

The bicyclist told the Sheriff’s Office that he got off of his bike and used it as a shield, circling back and forth and keeping the bike between him and the dog. Eventually, he was able to grab a revolver from his bicycle-mounted holster, and he shot the dog from about 5-10 feet away. The dog ran away and the man called 911, the Sheriff’s Office said.

In his account to the Sheriff’s Office, the bicyclist said that he didn’t think the single round of bird shot had killed the dog, according to Mathess.

He was not cited for any wrongdoing.

“Essentially, if you feel your life is in danger or threatened by an animal, you can act against it,” Park County Sheriff Scott Steward said. Steward also said that, according to the man’s statements and his actions, he felt threatened.

The man said he was afraid for his life and well-being and that he believed Mike was in “full attack mode and not backing down at all,” Mathess summarized of the report later compiled by a deputy.

Bessler questions many parts of the bicyclist’s account. As fellow dog lovers, we can understand why he would question it — no dog owner would believe their four-legged family member would ever do such a thing, much like any parent would not want to believe their child had done wrong.

Steward said the Sheriff’s Office plans to follow up on a few inconsistencies, such as whether bird or buck shot was used, but he said “everything’s pretty consistent with what the victim’s telling us.”

Bessler said his next step would be having an autopsy performed and “memorializing, remembering Mike and taking care of services.”

Steward called it “tragic all the way around,” and we completely agree.

A fundraiser for Mike’s funeral is being held online at www.gofundme.com/ew6cjw7k. Extra donations will go toward a program that honors and supports war veterans, and we applaud those who donated toward it. As of Monday, the fundraiser gathered $13,356.

We at the Tribune will remember Mike as he was portrayed in our previous coverage of him and Bessler — a proud veteran and a faithful canine companion.

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