Though the following story has a happy ending, it is a disturbing reminder just because a person puts on a badge does not make them right, or just, or above contempt.
In Wood County West Virginia Tiffanie Huff stood between a State Trooper and her beloved Labrador-Huskie mix Buddy.
The Trooper, Seth Cook came to the Hupps’ house on May 9, 2015, in response to a dispute between a neighbor and Tiffanie’s husband’s stepfather.
Cook then encountered Buddy who was chained securely outside. Buddy seeing the new person ran toward them barking happily and wagging his tail. Cook stepped back and Buddy reached the end of his chain still wagging his tail.
Cook then unholstered his sidearm and attempted to execute the dog.
Hupp, who was in her yard with her 3-year old son would later say:
“I immediately thought, ‘I don’t want him (Buddy) to get shot.'”
Hupp courageously steps in the line of fire to protect her dog. Cook’s response for not getting to kill a helpless animal is to throw Tiffanie to the ground, pick her back up so he can toss her on his squad car and handcuff her; arresting her for obstructing an officer. Remember, what she was obstructing him from doing was executing her dog for no reason other than Cook’s own twisted bloodlust.
Cook was unaware that he was being recorded at the time, so he felt free to lie about the circumstances surrounding the arrest and in the arrest report stated that Tiffanie raised her arm in order to attack him.
When the video was shown at the trial last week, surprise surprise, the Trooper was caught in his lie for all to see.
Hupp’s lawyer, David Schles, told the Gazette-Mail:
“The officer alleged in the complaint that she raised her arm, but we did stop-frame [of the video] for the jury, and it showed she was stationary, her arms at her side….All she said was ‘Don’t do that,’ and [Cook] grabbed her by the bicep and spun her around”
“I thought it was outrageous, this girl is being charged for standing in her yard doing nothing but saying, ‘Don’t shoot my dog,'”
With the evidence showing that the Trooper lied Tiffanie Hupp was acquited.
But disturbing questions still linger.
Will Cook be charged with perjury? Abuse of office? Filing a false report? ANYTHING?!?!?!
What I found most chilling is what Cook said about the dog when testifying; according to PINAC:
Cook “testified that he was not afraid of the dog, but was following training that required him to kill all dogs that approach him, even if it was chained and wagging its tail as Buddy was doing in this case.”
If that is the case then new training is required because that is perverse and disgusting and gives officers carte blanche to go around executing innocent animals for virtually NO REASON.
As I said before, I am glad that Tiffanie was vindicated but this story leaves a sour taste in my mouth because it seems like though she was acquitted, JUSTICE was a long way from being done.
Below is the video that the jury saw that exposed the Trooper’s lies (warning: some explicit language can be heard):
They say that Dog is Man’s best friend…it seems like in the Hupp household the sentiment runs both ways.
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