Due to a tragic event last year where a small-town mayor's dogs were shot and killed by police who were acting on false information, Maryland police will be required to file a report with the governor's office whenever they kill a dog during a drug raid.
We applaud this requirement, which goes into effect next year. Incidents such as the one that inspired this change are too common, and they sometimes show a profound lack of judgment. For example, one of the mayor's labs was shot in the back while fleeing.
At the same time, the law does not prevent police from protecting themselves during a drug raid -- they just need to explain the situation and their reasoning.
We hope that this will encourage new awareness among both police and pet owners.