April 6, 2011 9:15 AM

Man barks at dog...gets arrested for animal harassment

By
Barry Leibowitz
Topics
Daily Blotter

(Credit: AP Photo)
(CBS/AP) MASON, Ohio - It's the kind of story that makes a Wednesday morning worthwhile.

An Ohio man has been charged with a misdemeanor for barking at a police dog.

It happened in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason - the police report says 25-year-old Ryan James Stephens is charged with teasing the K-9, which was in a patrol car.

Officer Bradley Walker wrote that while he investigated a car crash at a pub early Sunday morning, he heard the police dog barking uncontrollably inside his car. Allegedly, Stephens - the "animal impersonator" - was making barking noises and hissing at the real thing.

Walker reported that when he asked the barking Mr. Stephens why he was harassing the canine, he said "the dog started it." The officer also said Stephens appeared highly intoxicated (which is actually reassuring in this case).

He's due in municipal court on April 21.

No word whether he'll be in handcuffs...or on a leash.

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Add a Comment See all 12 Comments
by blern April 7, 2011 12:06 AM EDT
Good job, cop. Waste more of our tax dollars with your frivolous BS.
Reply to this comment
by StinkyLiberals April 6, 2011 9:22 PM EDT
The judge should throw out the charges. How utterly ridiculous. If the man was intoxicated, then why wasn't he charged with public intoxication as well? Po-po just think everyone should bend a freaking knee to them.

Get over yourselves, pigs.
Reply to this comment
by cafenitro April 6, 2011 9:07 PM EDT
Portlandia anyone?
Reply to this comment
by queenofclubs April 6, 2011 4:50 PM EDT
That guy was a *******
Reply to this comment
by queenofclubs April 6, 2011 4:50 PM EDT
that guy was a d u m a z z
by daniwitz13-2009 April 6, 2011 4:41 PM EDT
I believe this falls under freedom of speech. The dog in 'dog speak' may have swore at the passerby and he being a 'dog whisperer' understood and took offense. He was only replying and chastising the the dog for using 'foul' language instead of dog language. And if an officer is trained to ignore abusive speech, I don't see why the dog can't be trained to ignore it too. I suspect that it bothered the officer more that it did the DOG. I'm beginning to think that our police force is really going to the DOGS. He should have been left in the car and let the dog handle the car crash. So doggone good.
Reply to this comment
by abby_del_abbey April 6, 2011 3:47 PM EDT
LOL -- maybe the officer should have turned his K-9 lose and let the two barkers fight it out -- I know who would win and it wouldn't be some drunk wannabe...
Reply to this comment
by usatrac April 6, 2011 3:35 PM EDT
so freedom of speech means u cant scream fire in a crowded theatre, or converse with a dog ? I see constitutional problems here
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by uffdaron April 6, 2011 3:12 PM EDT
Let the dog loose. If he started it, he probably can finish it.
Reply to this comment
by OmegaWolf747 April 6, 2011 10:15 AM EDT
Yet cops are allows to shoot regular people's dogs. Hypocrisy much?
Reply to this comment
by uffdaron April 6, 2011 3:35 PM EDT
The dog is legally treated as a police officer. Go bark at a cop and see what you get.
by Fringlish1 April 6, 2011 11:06 PM EDT
What a misleading title and article. "Drunk Harrasses Canine Offier" would be more appropriate. Throw the book at the boozer.
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