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Therapy dog shot to death
Lummi, WA (US)Incident Date: Monday, Sep 1, 2008
County: Whatcom
Disposition: Open
Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!
Everyday Walt Hamilton pays a visit to the grave where his dog Buster is buried. The Airedale terrier was family to him.
"A son, brother, father sometimes, he was everything. I loved him a lot," he said.
What Walt has been through is hard for many to imagine. His father committed suicide last year. Then a couple months ago, Walt became homeless. He was living with Buster in a tent, doing what he could to take care of his dog.
"He was always there," said Walt. "He took all the weight off my shoulders I put in to him."
After Walt was diagnosed with clinical depression, a doctor prescribed an therapy/service dog to help treat it.
"A service animal provides unconditional love, and that's something people really don't find anywhere else in their lives, a lot of times, especially people who are depressed, they don't even love themselves," said therapist Lori Goulet.
Then nine days ago, Walt found Buster dead along the road. He says his dog had been shot in the back of the head.
"I shut down right about there, and went into a fog," he said.
His friends are concerned. Rod Julius opened his home to him.
"It's really disheartening that anybody could do this. If you can kill a man's friend like that you can kill anybody," he said.
Now this 52-year-old man wants justice for his dog, and maybe one day, he could open his heart to another Airedale.
"He wouldn't be Buster, but I like the breed I always have," he said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Lummi Law & Order at 384-2266. If you have information on this case, please contact:
Lummi Law & Order
384-2266
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