Dogs need to be classified as family members.
Animal control is trained to help catch and reunite pets with their owners.
A neighbor called the police to help a [lo.st] little dog find his way home. Instead, the officer who arrived [s.h.ot] him [de.ad].
His name was Teddy. He was a 13-pound Shih Tzu mix, [bl.ind and de.af], who belonged to Nicholas Hunter in Sturgeon, Missouri. He was a tiny, [vu.lner.able] dog who depended on the people around him to keep him safe.
On May 19, 2024, Teddy [es.cap.ed] from his fenced yard and [wandered] into a neighbor’s backyard. Unsure where the little dog belonged, the neighbor did what many people would do: called the police for help.
In Sturgeon, officers also handled animal-control duties. Officer Myron Woodson arrived carrying gloves and a catch pole, supposedly to bring Teddy to safety.
But what happened next was captured on his body camera.
Woodson repeatedly tried to catch Teddy, but the [fr.ighte.ned] little dog kept moving away. The footage showed no attempt by Teddy to bite or growl at the officer. At one point, Woodson even considered using a blanket to wrap him up.
Yet he never used it.
Just three minutes and six seconds after approaching Teddy closely, Woodson drew his [g.un] and [fi.red]. Then he [fi.red] again.
In a matter of seconds, Teddy was [de.ad].
A bl.ind and de.af little dog who had simply [wandered] away from home would never again feel his owner’s arms around him.
The city initially defended the [s.ho.ot.ing], claiming the officer believed Teddy appeared [in.jur.ed] or [si.ck] and suggesting his behavior could have indicated [ra.bi.es]. But Hunter said Teddy was up to date on his rabies vaccinations. The neighbor who had called the police also filed a complaint, stating that Teddy had not been [ag.gre.ssive].
That same month, Hunter filed a federal [la.wsuit] [aga.inst] Woodson and the city. The [la.wsuit] challenged the [s.ho.oti.ng] under the Fourth Amendment and [a.lle.ged] that the city had failed to properly train, supervise, and discipline its officer. The Animal Legal Defense Fund helped fund the legal battle.
In November 2025, the city and Woodson agreed to a $500,000 settlement.
It was a measure of accountability, but no amount of money could bring Teddy back. No settlement could [era.se] the final moments of his life or give his owner the chance to hold him again.
Hunter hoped the case would lead to better training and procedures, helping prevent another family from enduring the same [he.artbre.ak].
Because Teddy’s story should never have ended this way.
He wasn’t a [thre.at]. He was a [lo.st] little dog who couldn’t see or hear the world around him. A neighbor noticed him and called for help, trusting that someone would bring him home safely.
Teddy should have been reunited with the person who loved him.
Instead, his family was left with [gr.ief], unanswered questions, and a [pa.inful] truth: the call for help that was supposed to bring their beloved dog home became the last chapter of his life.
That is so [s.ad]! Remember him for he is still alive in your heart.
God be with you! ❤🙏❤
