A man in Michigan has been charged after he allegedly shot and killed a service dog, reports CBS affiliate WWJ News. 65-year-old Douglas Barnes turned himself in after police issued an arrest warrant on Dec. 29, 2023. The incident took place in November last year when the dog’s owner was walking the canine in his driveway.
Man claims he mistook dog for coyote after shooting him
According to police, Barnes claimed he mistook the dog, Smokey, for a coyote when shooting him. He said he did not see anyone walking the off-leash pup. However, authorities shared, “The owner yelled, ‘Hey, you just shot my dog!'” at the time of the incident.
They further added that the pup’s owner “did not immediately see anyone” around after the shooting, but proceeded to “an area of his driveway where he had previously seen tire tracks earlier in the day.” He then went on to confront a man trying to leave in a truck.
According to a news release by the Michigan State Police, Barnes used “a 7MM Browning Model 81 lever action rifle with a Bushnell Banner Power Scope” to shoot the German Shepherd. He said he was “hunting to the center of the driveway.” However, authorities noted the pup was “approximately 104 yards” from the spot.
Barnes faces “one count of killing/torturing animals and one count of reckless/negligent use of a firearm.” He’s due to appear in court on Jan. 23, 2024.
Another service dog shot dead
Recently, in another similar incident, a man allegedly shot and killed a service dog in Virginia, according to The News Leader. Police said they responded to a call of a gunshot, as per a press release. “The caller reported that he heard a gunshot outside, and then an animal cry out.”
The dog’s owner told authorities he found his Husky, Bear, outside his home in Waynesboro with a gunshot wound. Subsequently, the canine was taken to a local hospital, where he was declared dead upon arrival.
Police later arrested 67-year-old Louis E. Davis Jr. and charged him with animal cruelty and negligent use of a firearm. Authorities also managed to recover “a large caliber revolver,” which Davis Jr. allegedly used to shoot the dog.
