After receiving a barrage of criticism against three officers who last month fired a total of 13 shots at a dog that attacked pedestrians, the Chiba Prefectural Police has drawn up a set of measures to capture violent animals without resorting to guns, sources said Monday.
Of the 13 bullets fired, only six hit the dog, while the rest caused damage to the walls and fences of nearby houses during the Sept. 14 incident in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture. The dog, a Kishu weighing 21 kg, had broken free from its owner and attacked three passers-by before being shot dead.
Following the incident, Chiba police received criticism not only from nearby residents but also from across the country, with many saying the officers went too far.
According to the guideline revealed by the sources, Chiba officers will be provided with special gloves that can withstand bites by violent animals, while all police stations in the prefecture will be equipped with an animal-control pole with a ring at one end.
Operations to capture violent animals will involve workers from public health centers, while several patrol cars will be deployed to surround the target, the guideline says.
Use of guns is not entirely banned, but "officers will work to improve their shooting technique," according to the guideline.