According to the Department of Justice, there are approximately 25 dogs shot every day by police officers around the country. That's 10,000 dogs annually. A simple Google search will bring up a plethora of articles about police / pet interactions, with most being sad stories that end with needing a better way to educate police on how to deal with dogs. A dog running at you may be excited to see you, not aggressive; however, the personal safety of an officer is important, and an unknown dog can seem very threatening, no matter the behavior.