Three dogs shot to death Vance, AL (US) Incident Date: Saturday, Dec 2, 2006 County: Tuscaloosa Local Map: available Disposition: Open Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Case ID: 10279 Classification: Shooting Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in AL (US) Animal was offleash or loose Login to Watch this Case

George Newell Road is just the kind of winding, rural road people might choose if they�re looking to drop off an unwanted dog.

It's also the kind of road where residents are the kind of people who will take them in and provide food, love, treats and visits to the vet.

But not everyone is so friendly. Within the last week, three dogs have been found shot to death.

The Criss family returned from a trip to Walt Disney World on Dec 2 to find two of their dogs dead not far from the house. Thelma, a stray they had for nearly 15 years, and Millie, a four-year-old black lab, had been shot with buckshot.

A third dog named Chewbacca, or Clyde (depending on whom you ask) had also been shot but lived. He made it to a neighbor's front porch Friday afternoon, Mike Criss learned. The neighbors took him to a vet in McCalla, who removed six or seven pellets.

"Whoever shot him looked him right in the eye and shot him," Criss said. "There was one shot in the paw, one in the jaw and one on the back."

Tuesday night, a neighbor found another dead puppy lying close to where the others were found. It was a blue healer or Australian shepherd, Criss said, not a stray.

"I don�t understand what's going on," he said.

He acknowledged that he and others who live in the area don�t strictly observe the county�s animal control laws, but said that's no excuse for someone to kill a pet.

"It's just horrible. I don't see any reason why anybody would shoot a dog unless it was trying to attack them," he said.

It isn't the first time that the Criss� dogs have been killed. Three years ago, their dog Rhett was poisoned with antifreeze.

"The vet explained that sometimes hunters might do that to get rid of dogs or coyotes in their hunting areas," Criss said. "I can't blame this on hunters."

Dr. Tim Hammond, a veterinarian at Alberta Veterinary Clinic, said he has never seen a case in which a pet was accidentally shot by a hunter. He said that he treated two dogs and a cat that had been shot recently. One of the dogs, a poodle, didn�t make it, and the cat had to have a leg amputated.

"People pretty much know who did the shooting. It's usually a neighbor," he said.

Criss said there is a newly developed neighborhood near their home where he suspects the dogs might have roamed and drawn the ire of new residents.

The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff�s Office is investigating the shootings and spent Wednesday trying to locate the owner of the most recently killed dog.

Depending on the circumstances, cruelty to animals can possibly result in felony criminal charges.

Sgt. Andy Norris said that anyone who is missing a dog or has information about who may have shot them should call Deputy Terry Vaughn.

"We�d like to remind all citizens throughout the county that although it's not technically called a leash law, you do have to maintain control of animals while they are on and off your property," he said.

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Tuscaloosa News - Dec 7, 2006

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