Florida Footballer arrested over ‘dog bark’

A Florida university footballer has been arrested for barking at a police dog and resisting arrest, police say.

An officer and a dog were investigating a vehicle in Gainesville early on Sunday when Antonio Morrison, 19, barked at the animal, police said.

Florida law makes it a crime to “harass” a police dog while the animal is “in the performance of its duties”.

Mr Morrison, who plays linebacker for the University of Florida "Gators" team, said the dog had barked first.

Have you ever read anything so stupid, yet so hilarious, I can’t believe that written into Florida law is a clause that you mustn't distract a police dog, not officer, dog while it’s doing its duty.

If that’s the case and barking at a dog is considered ‘harassing it’ then by that logic are you not allowed to talk to the police officers in Florida for the same reason.

I’d love to tell you what happened and what the suspect looks like but I can’t because if I talk to you, you’ll have to arrest me for harassment.

Imagine if this guy is sent to prison, actually jump back a step can you imagine this being played out in court, with lawyers cross examining the man, the officer and the dog to establish a version of events.

But if he is sent to prison and someone says what are you in for? Assault, burglary, drugs, no I barked at a dog.  

If a sitcom writer came up with this it would be instantly dismissed as being to implausible and absurd and yet it actually happened amazing.

I’ve never read anything so ridiculous, I’m sure I have but I can’t remember, this has to be one of the finest examples of a stupid law that needs changing and one that should never have existed in the first place.