Shelter broken into, dog shot with pellet gun
Watertown, CT (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Apr 24, 2007
County: Litchfield

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» 13 year old male
» 16 year old male

Police said they have no idea why two teenagers allegedly broke into the town's dog pound and shot a schnauzer named Luther with a pellet gun.

Police said the teens, ages 13 and 16, broke into the pound on Old Baird Road at around 5 p.m. on April 24. They allegedly smashed a padlock with a rock to gain access to a row of outside cages.

Once inside, the youths used a pellet gun to shoot Luther in the hindquarters and might have shot at other dogs, police said.

Luther survived the shooting, but suffered some sensitivity on his flank, according to police.

The break-in was discovered by animal control officer Karl Dawkins, who found a side door in the pound was open and the padlock smashed.

A plastic box of pellets and a broken shovel handle were also found at the scene.

Officer David Ciarleglio interviewed neighbors of the secluded property, which also contains the town's transfer station.

During the investigation, Ciarleglio talked to a youth who admitted that he and another teen had burglarized the pound and that one of them had shot Luther, police said.

"They admitted to breaking into the shelter while armed with a pellet gun," said Lt. Robert J. Desena, head of the Watertown Detective Bureau. "We consider this as a serious matter, as innocent animals were targeted."

Dawkins said there were five other dogs in the pound at the time, but employees determined they were unharmed. Nothing was stolen from the pound, according to police.

Luther had been impounded after he was found wandering on Grove Street, according to Dawkins, but since the incident he has been returned to his owners.

"He's back safe with his parents," Dawkins said.

The names of the teens were withheld by police because of their ages. According to police, one of the teens concealed the pellet gun in a mulch pile at the transfer station, but it has since been recovered.

The 13-year-old was charged with third-degree burglary, cruelty to animals, third-degree criminal mischief and theft, killing or injury of a dog. He was released to his father and is due to appear in Waterbury Superior Court on May 3.

The other teen was charged with cruelty to animals, third-degree burglary, second-degree criminal trespassing and third-degree criminal mischief. He was released on $5,000 bond and is due to appear in Waterbury Superior Court on May 8.

References

• « CT State Animal Cruelty Map
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