Dog shot to death
McCall, ID (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Sep 11, 2008
County: Valley

Disposition: Not Charged

Person of Interest: Bill Earlbach

A McCall neighborhood is up in arms after they say a man shoot a family dog and threatened more.

Just yesterday, the Green's were playing with their family pet but now, 24 hours later, a wooden cross marks the spot he was shot point blank.

"So he pulled him out here on the street made sure he was on public domain, got him across the street, got him about four feet point blank from his head and pulled the trigger," said dog owner Mike Green.

The rural Valleyview Community lies just outside of McCall city limits and, according to residents, should be dog friendly.

"There's several dogs that are loose but there's a group of people in this neighborhood, usually it's the elderly, that are grouping up and thinking this neighborhood is for them only and not for families and dogs," said Green.

One of those neighbors is 81-year-old resident Bill Earlbach, a 20-year area home owner who says he and his wife have been bitten by neighborhood dogs, namely Buddy, the Green family pet he shot Wednesday.

"So he's about three or four feet away from me so he wasn't gonna stop. I mean he was pretty vicious, so I just shot him and I dropped him right there on the far side of the road," said Earlbach.

The Greens maintain Buddy was by no means vicious and that Earlbach never attempted to contact them about a problem with the dog.

"What am I going to say, 'hey dog you wait here and I'll tell your owners you're in a viscous mood today.' I mean there's no cotton pickin way if a dogs coming at you like that what are you gonna do?" said Earlbach.

So now the family says they're afraid for their children because their elderly neighbor is carrying around a loaded gun.

"I have five children and my daughter had just came into the house you know he didn't know if my children were out her could have shot one of my children," said Tina Green.

We were not able to speak to the Valley County Sheriff's Office, but will be following up with them Friday.

Right now the Green family is pushing for a felony charge for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit -- although Earlbach maintains the gun was exposed in a holster.

Three other families in the community have come out in support of the Green family saying that Earlbach has threatened their dogs as well.

References

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