At a Glance
- Court
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
- Case Type
- Settlement
- Parties
- Nicholas Hunter v. City of Sturgeon et al.
- Jurisdiction
- Missouri
- Date
- 2025-11-14
- Status
- Settled
- Amount
- $500K
The City of Sturgeon, Missouri, and a former police officer have agreed to pay $500,000 to resolve a federal civil rights lawsuit stemming from the May 2024 fatal shooting of a 13-pound, blind and deaf Shih Tzu mix named Teddy, according to the Washington Post [1]. Attorneys Daniel J. Kolde and Eric C. Crinnian filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri on behalf of Teddy's owner, Nicholas Hunter, seeking compensation in excess of $1 million for alleged violations of his rights under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution [2]. The Animal Legal Defense Fund described the settlement as "one of the largest of its kind for the police shooting of a beloved family dog" [3].
The incident began on May 19, 2024, when Teddy escaped from Hunter's backyard while Hunter was out at dinner, and a neighbor called dispatch to report that the dog had wandered into their yard [3]. Hunter filed the federal lawsuit in May 2024 after Officer Myron Woodson shot Teddy while responding to a "dog at large" call. Body-camera footage showed Woodson attempting to use a catch pole for several minutes before shooting the dog at close range [4]. The city initially claimed the officer thought the dog was "behaving strangely and displaying signs of possible injuries," behavior the city described as "perceived to be rabid" [4]. The federal lawsuit alleged that Sturgeon failed to properly train, supervise, and discipline its officer [2].
Following the shooting, Kevin Abrahamson resigned as mayor of Sturgeon [5]. The city of Sturgeon no longer operates a police department and has been under contract with Boone County since Aug. 1 [4]. Woodson remained on paid leave until October 2024, when he resigned from the department [4]. The city had previously paid Woodson $16,000 and issued a statement clearing him of any wrongdoing [2]. Woodson subsequently faced additional legal exposure: ABC 17 reported that Woodson was charged with trespassing for allegedly refusing police officers' orders to leave a retirement home where he was attempting to serve papers in his subsequent role as a process server [3].
Under the settlement agreement, Hunter will receive $282,500 through the Missouri Public Entity Risk Management Fund, with the remaining $217,500 going to the Crinnian Law Firm, which represented him. Sturgeon's direct financial responsibility was limited to a $1,000 insurance deductible [4]. The settlement came after a motion for summary judgment was filed in August 2025 following depositions in the case [2]. As part of the agreement, Hunter agreed not to pursue further legal action [1].
The Fourth Amendment framework governing police shootings of pets traces to a court ruling in the early 2000s that established pets are protected from unreasonable "seizures," i.e., killings [3]. The Department of Justice has estimated that as many as 10,000 dogs are shot and killed by police each year [2]. Animal Legal Defense Fund Executive Director Chris Green said in a statement that he hoped the settlement amount would signal to police departments across the country that inadequate training carries a financial cost [3].
References
[1] The Washington Post. (2025, November 17). City pays owner $500K after officer fatally shoots deaf, blind dog. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/11/17/sturgeon-settlement-dog-shooting/
[2] Animal Legal Defense Fund. (2026, January 14). City of Sturgeon Agrees to Pay $500,000 in Settlement Over Police Shooting of Blind, Deaf Dog. https://aldf.org/article/city-of-sturgeon-agrees-to-pay-500000-in-settlement-over-police-shooting-of-blind-deaf-dog/
[3] Reason. (2025, November 17). Missouri Town Will Pay $500K to Settle Lawsuit Over Deputy Shooting Blind and Deaf Dog. https://reason.com/2025/11/17/missouri-town-will-pay-500k-to-settle-lawsuit-over-deputy-shooting-blind-and-deaf-dog/
[4] KOMU 8 / ABC 17 News. (2025, November 15). City of Sturgeon, Former Police Officer Agree to Pay $500K to Owner of Dog Shot by Police. https://abc17news.com/news/boone/2025/11/14/the-city-didnt-handle-it-well-owner-of-dog-killed-by-sturgeon-cop-gets-over-a-quarter-million-dollars-in-settlement-city-hopes-to-move-forward-after-fallout/
[5] Newsweek. (2024, May 28). Mayor Quits After Police Officer Kills Blind, Deaf Dog. https://www.newsweek.com/mayor-resigns-after-police-officer-kills-blind-deaf-dog-1905383