From the Huffington Post:

…As shelter dogs and cats were designated the official state pets Monday, Gov. John Hickenlooper also signed a measure requiring police to undergo training to prevent animals from being shot.

The measures passed the Colorado Legislature last month amid a combative lawmaking term, putting the state’s four-legged friends among the big winners of the recently completed session.

The training legislation, which all 100 lawmakers supported, appears to be the first of its kind. As the bill was being discussed the executive director of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, which represents police chiefs and sheriffs, said he was not aware of any state or local government with such a requirement.

Dog lovers pushed for the law, saying several recent deadly pet shootings by authorities were unnecessary and showed that officers needed help in identifying threats.

The legislation requires sheriffs’ offices and police departments to offer three hours of online training on recognizing dog behaviors and employing nonlethal control methods…