Missouri city to pay $500,000 to the owner of blind and deaf dog Teddy who was shot dead by a police officer
City pays owner $500k after police officer shoots deaf and blind dog dead
- The city of Sturgeon, Missouri, has agreed to pay $500,000 in a settlement to the owner of a blind and deaf Shih Tzu named Teddy, who was shot dead by a police officer.
- Nicholas Hunter, Teddy's owner, will receive $282,500, with the remaining $217,500 allocated to his legal team, who said that "nothing can ever bring his Teddy back."
- The incident occurred in May last year when Officer Myron Woodson shot Teddy after the dog, who had slipped from his owner's yard, was reported to animal control.
- The shooting sparked significant public outrage, leading to the resignation of Mayor Kevin Abrahamson and Officer Woodson, who initially claimed he shot Teddy due to rabies fears or because he believed the dog was injured.
- Hunter's lawyers alleged the city failed to properly train officers on how to deal with dogs, while the city maintained it was an isolated incident.