I'm not sure if a lost dog is legal justification for entering the house, regardless if it was locked or unlocked.
As far as I know, locked vs unlocked is not material. They either had a right to enter the residence or they did not have the right to enter the residence. The Grateful Dead kinda got it right with their lyrics:
"I'd like to get some sleep before I travel, But if you've got a warrant I guess you're gonna come in."
The door was wide open from what I understand
Yeah, that shouldn't matter. I'm pretty sure...
For the purposes of evidentiary value, they're pretty limited. Just because a door is open, or unlocked, doesn't give you permission to enter.
Now, they'll get away with this - but a good lawyer might be able to get the evidence thrown out and should definitely try.
I think if they see something illegal in plain view they can say probably cause. I know they found some guy sleeping in his car in a parking lot a month ago and saw a pipe in the ashtray through the car window and that gave them probably cause to break the window and search the car and find the drugs and arrest the guy
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