Dog's killing was within policy

JOHNS ISLAND -- A Charleston County sheriff's deputy acted within department policy when he shot and killed a family's German shepherd, an investigation concluded Friday, while a representative of the pet's owners said the fallout from the incident "is far from over."

An internal affairs report on the May 25 shooting said Deputy Michael Buenting acted appropriately after being confronted during what started out as a nuisance neighbor call but escalated into a dog attack that forced him to draw his weapon.

While copies of the report were not released, a statement by Sheriff Al Cannon said the review found that no matter how regrettable the shooting remains, "given the circumstances that existed at the time, the deputy's actions were within CCSO policy on use of force."

No discipline is planned against the officer, a spokesman said.

The incident occurred on Sonny Boy Lane after members of the Holst family called 911 about a neighbor who was allowing her dog to cut onto their property. When the responding deputy arrived in his patrol car, not all of the dogs had been secured, with the loose German shepherd -- 5-year-old Jake -- running around barking.

Both sides have provided differing accounts of how threatening Jake's actions were. The deputy said the physical threat was real, and that he fired on the animal when it was lunging at him within two feet, snarling and preparing to strike.

Pet-owner Gretchen Holst, meanwhile, contends the dog was 10 feet away and holding its ground when it was fatally hit in the head.

Mike Gruenloh, an attorney for the Holsts, said his clients disagree with the sheriff's findings and said more needs to be done by the department to ensure similar shootings don't happen again.

"The evidence we have provided suggests that the officer was in no threat of imminent harm and that he acted unreasonably and with excessive force," Gruenloh said.

Gruenloh further suggested the shooting be used to develop an in-depth department policy on addressing animal calls, to include more intensive deputy training, "considering that they encounter pets every day."

Gruenloh said the Holsts were "committed to working with the department in that regard."

Cannon's office issued a separate statement saying the department "is continuing to evaluate training related to animal behavior as a result of this incident."

At least one county ordinance violation was filed as a result of the case. An animal care charge was written against the neighbor who was the subject of the original call of allowing her pet to wander, sheriff's spokesman Maj. John Clark said.