If a police officer or sheriff’s deputy shot and killed your dog, you deserve a legal team that treats your pet’s death as what it is: a devastating loss to the whole family—and one that the law takes seriously. McKenzie Scott PC represents California families whose dogs and other pets were shot, injured, or killed during encounters with law enforcement, including cases involving warrantless entry onto private property, unlawful searches, and excessive force against family pets.
Our attorneys represent families in police-involved dog shooting cases, and we are actively investigating similar incidents throughout San Diego County and the state. If your dog was shot by a police officer or sheriff’s deputy, whether in your own backyard, during a traffic stop, at your front door, or anywhere else, we want to hear what happened.
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The Killing of Daisy: A Warrantless Entry in San Bernardino County
On May 4, 2026, a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy entered the fenced backyard of a family’s home without a search warrant, supposedly investigating a stolen vehicle that had no connection to the property. Home surveillance footage captured the deputy opening the gate, encountering the family’s Rottweiler, Daisy, and shooting her at close range after she approached him. Daisy did not die immediately, and video shows multiple deputies searching the yard for the shell casing for nearly half an hour afterward without rendering aid. Her remains were later removed and destroyed without the family’s consent, and deputies allowed the family’s surviving dog to escape during the encounter, causing her to be impounded at an animal shelter.
McKenzie Scott PC represents the Serna family in pursuing federal civil rights claims for the warrantless curtilage entry and unlawful seizure of their dog, along with California state law claims including trespass, conversion, negligence, and violations of the Bane Act. You can read the full breakdown of the legal issues in this case in our in-depth guide to police-involved dog shootings.
Ready to seek justice for your family’s pet? Contact McKenzie Scott PC today for a free & confidential police dog shooting attorney consultation.
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A Pattern Across California
The Serna case is not an isolated event. In June 2026, Los Angeles Police Department officers shot and killed a family dog named Jameson in Canoga Park after responding to a mistaken report, an incident that has drawn a public review of LAPD’s use of force policies around pets. Our review of prior incidents also shows a recurring pattern in San Bernardino County alone, including a 2016 shooting after deputies went to the wrong home, a 2023 shooting after deputies entered through an unlocked door, and a January 2026 incident where deputies tased and killed a restrained, non-aggressive dog during an eviction. These patterns matter because they can support a broader civil rights claim against a city or county for failing to train and supervise its officers, in addition to claims against the individual officer involved.
Why You Need an Experienced Police-Involved Dog Shooting Attorney
Cases involving a pet killed by police sit at the intersection of constitutional law and California tort law, and most personal injury or general practice firms simply do not handle them regularly. These cases require an attorney who understands:
- Fourth Amendment protections for your home’s curtilage, meaning your yard, porch, and other areas immediately surrounding your house
- How to prove that an officer’s unlawful entry, not just the shooting itself, caused your dog’s death
- California’s Bane Act and its treble damages and statutory penalty provisions
- How to secure and preserve body camera footage, surveillance video, and incident reports before they are lost or destroyed
- How to build a Monell claim showing a department-wide pattern of similar shootings
- How to value emotional distress damages for the loss of a family pet, which California law recognizes as distinct from ordinary property damage
Government tort claims against a city or county in California generally must be filed within six months of the incident, and missing that deadline can permanently bar your case. If your dog was shot by police anywhere in San Diego County, across California, or beyond, time is a critical factor. Learn more about how these deadlines work in our related civil rights practice area.
Legal Claims We Pursue on Behalf of Pet Owners
- Federal civil rights claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for unlawful search and unreasonable seizure
- Monell claims against cities and counties for inadequate training, supervision, and discipline
- Violations of California’s Bane Act, Civil Code section 52.1
- Trespass to land and trespass to chattels
- Conversion, including for the unauthorized taking or destruction of your pet’s remains
- Negligence, including negligent hiring, training, supervision, and retention of officers
Compensation Available in Police Dog Shooting Cases
California law allows pet owners to recover well beyond a dog’s replacement value. Depending on the facts of your case, compensation may include emotional distress and mental suffering damages, punitive damages against the officer involved, statutory damages and treble damages under the Bane Act, costs and attorney’s fees, and damages tied to the mishandling or destruction of your pet’s remains. Every family member who had a relationship with the dog may also have an independent claim for their own emotional loss.
What to Do If Police Shot Your Dog
- Preserve all home security, doorbell, or surveillance footage immediately
- Request your dog’s body and any veterinary or necropsy records in writing
- Photograph the scene, including any signs of forced or warrantless entry
- Write down what happened and who was present as soon as possible
- Submit a California Public Records Act request for reports and body camera footage
- Avoid giving a recorded statement to the involved agency before speaking with an attorney
- Contact our office promptly, given the short government claim deadlines involved
How Our Process Works
When you contact McKenzie Scott PC’s San Diego civil rights lawyers about a police-involved dog shooting, we start with a free, confidential case evaluation to understand what happened and what evidence exists. If we take your case, we move quickly to preserve surveillance footage, submit public records requests for body camera video and incident reports, and file the required government tort claim within California’s strict deadlines. From there, we build your case for negotiation or litigation, working to hold both the individual officer and the city or county accountable.
Why Families Across California Choose McKenzie Scott
McKenzie Scott PC is a San Diego based civil rights law firm representing families throughout California who have been harmed by police misconduct, including the warrantless entry and shooting at the center of our current police misconduct cases. Our attorneys have secured what was, at the time, the largest excessive force verdict in American history, and the largest wrongful death settlement ever paid by San Diego County. We bring that same level of preparation and resolve to every family whose pet was harmed by law enforcement.
If a police officer or sheriff’s deputy shot your dog anywhere in San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, or elsewhere in California, contact our office today for a free, confidential case review, or call us anytime at (619) 794-0451.
Ready to hold law enforcement accountable for harming your pet? Contact McKenzie Scott PC today for a free & confidential civil rights attorney consultation.
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Frequently Asked Questions – San Diego Abogado de Tiroteo Involucrando a un Perro por la Policía de San Diego
Do you only handle cases in San Diego?
No. While our office is based in San Diego, we represent families throughout California, including the current cases we are handling in San Bernardino County and Los Angeles County. Additionally, we accept federal claims nationwide.
Is it legal for police to shoot a dog in my own yard?
Generally, no, if officers entered your fenced yard or curtilage without a warrant, consent, or a genuine emergency. The entry itself is often unlawful, and the shooting of your dog may be a separate, independent constitutional violation.
What if the police department already gave a public statement about the shooting?
Department statements are often incomplete or misleading. We independently investigate through surveillance footage, body camera requests, and witness accounts rather than relying on an agency’s own account of what happened.
How long do I have to file a claim if police shot my dog?
California generally requires a government tort claim to be filed within six months of the incident before a lawsuit against a city or county can proceed, so it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
Can I recover money for my emotional distress, not just my dog's value?
Yes. California law allows pet owners to recover for the mental suffering caused by the intentional or grossly negligent killing of their animal, in addition to the dog’s economic value.