A police officer opened-fire on a pet American Bully puppy as it walked around its neighborhood over the weekend.
Surveillance footage obtained by CBS4 News captures the moment the Miami-Dade officer shoots the eight-month-old dog, called Alpha, six times.
According to a broadcast from CBS4, the police officer had been responding to a barking noise complaint at the time, and had attended the property in Miami Gardens to investigate.
It was reported locally that the owners of the pet dog had been asked by officers to provide some information, and had gone inside to get it. As they did this, a smaller dog owned by the family, a Maltese, ran outside followed by the American Bully.
In the footage, the police officer can be seen holding the gun in his hand as the dogs approach him.
The dogs then run out of the front gate, where the officer can be seen using his flashlight to get their attention. Shots then ring out as the officer opens fire on Alpha.
The owners of the dog can then be seen running out following the commotion. A woman screams as she sees what has happened to her dog, and appears to jump up and down in distress.
The owner continues to scream, as other residents make their way out to see what happened.
A man, who came out of the property with the woman, then appears to try and confront the police officer, as the woman continues to shriek.
Dahlia Canes, who works at a local animal welfare group, the Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation, told CBS4: "That dog was executed military style ... They just killed a member of someone's family.
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"This incident did not have had to happen if the officer had been properly trained. We must do better to protect our 4-legged family members. This eight-month-old puppy, Alpha, displayed no aggression and did not deserve to die like this."
The group told CBS4 that it would be working with the family to try and resolve the issue. The dog owner has reportedly retained an attorney.
The problem with police shooting pet dogs in the U.S. has been highlighted in news stories from across the country in recent years. In 2011 a report from the Department of Justice said in "in most police departments, the majority of shooting incidents involve animals, most frequently dogs."
The Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation posted on Facebook in memory of the pet dog. The post read: "In Memory of Alpha.. the pup killed by an untrained police officer!"
Miami-Dade police told CBS4 News that there is an "active and open investigation."
