Skip to content
i Still Love Dogs
i Still Love Dogs

…Dog news, tips & fun stuff

  • News
  • Awww
  • Heroes
  • Grrr
  • Tips
  • Pittie Party
  • About
i Still Love Dogs

…Dog news, tips & fun stuff

German Shepherd shot by NJ cop at wrong address

NJ Cop at Wrong Address Kills German Shepherd

Laura Goldman, April 30, 2015August 19, 2019

German Shepherd shot by NJ cop at wrong address

Just like most dogs, Igor Vukobratovic’s 5-year-old German Shepherd, Otto, would bark like mad whenever someone knocked on the door of their Wyckoff, N.J., home.

Strangely, Otto apparently didn’t make a peep yesterday afternoon when police officer Kyle Ferreira said he knocked on the door. Ferreira was responding to a report about a break-in — but he was at the wrong house, across the street from the address reported to police.

When no one answered the door, Ferreira said he entered the backyard through an unlocked gate. He saw a window on the ground floor of the house was open, so he drew his revolver.

“A large, growling German Shepherd lunged out of the open window, bit the officer on his right foot and latched onto his boot,” Wyckoff Police Chief Benjamin Fox told NJ.com.

Ferreira fired four shots at Otto, two of which fatally struck him.

When Vukobratovic returned from the mall a short time later, he wondered why there were patrol cars parked outside his house.

He ran to the backyard, where Otto was lying dead in a pool of blood. “What did you do? What did you do?” he screamed at the police officers.

Vukobratovic’s father, Goran Vukobratovic, later told NJ.com there was no way Otto didn’t make his presence known when Ferreira arrived at the house.

“If he knocked or rang the bell, the dog would bark like crazy,” Goran said. “That’s the threshold.” He thinks Otto jumped out the window, which his son leaves open for him, when he heard the gate open.

Igor Vukobratovic told NJ.com he was considering suing the police department. “I’m just looking at lawyers right now but I don’t know,” he said.

Ferreira was not injured, but was distraught, Fox told CBS New York. “The whole situation is very sad and very unfortunate,” he said.

Training Cops to Humanely Deal with Pet Dogs

Sadly, cases of police officers shooting pet dogs are not unusual. To prevent these incidents, law enforcement officers can be educated about dog behavior and learn how to deal with pet dogs without firing their weapons.

In 2013, Colorado became the first state to pass a “Dog Protection Act,” which requires this training. Texas could be next, if House Bill 593 is passed.

In California, where in March a popular therapy dog named Burberry was shot and killed by an officer who was also at the wrong address, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA) offers the class “Dog Behavior for Law Enforcement” to all police officers in the state.

“When an officer shoots a pet dog, it is traumatic for the officer, the animal and the community — something we want to mitigate as much as is possible,” said spcaLA President Madeline Bernstein in a press release earlier this year.

Photo via Twitter

Related

Grrr German ShepherdNew Jerseypolice officer shoots dog

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Recent Posts

  • Dogs—Not Cats—May Prevent Babies from Developing Asthma
  • Rest in Paradise, Patrick the Miracle Dog
  • Guide Dog Terrified by Thunder Led Blind Owner to Safety on 9/11
  • Once Again, Adopted Dogs Featured in 2025 Rose Parade
  • 7 Examples That Prove Trump Is Clueless About Dogs

Most “Paw”pular Posts

  • Due to 'Pit Bulls and Parolees' Lawsuit, New Villalobos Sanctuary Planned
  • 5 Reasons Why Jon Stewart Is So Doggone Awesome
  • Frank Sinatra Loved the Ladies...and the Dogs
  • Rape Charges Dropped Against Toney Converse of 'Pit Bulls and Parolees'
  • Leonard Nimoy's L.A. Pet Store Did Not Live Long or Prosper

Like i Still Love Dogs on Facebook

Like i Still Love Dogs on Facebook

Follow @iStillLoveDogs on BlueSky

Follow @iStillLoveDogs on BlueSky

Subscribe to i Still Love Dogs

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts. I respect your privacy and will never sell your information.

Privacy Policy

about Laura Goldman
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
©2025 i Still Love Dogs | WordPress Theme by SuperbThemes
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You can opt-out if you wish.Got it! Reject Privacy Policy
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT