Dog shot at close range, owner charged
Savannah, GA (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Dec 31, 2009
County: Chatham
Disposition: Alleged
Abuser names unreleased
A dog was shot twice at close range in Ardsley Park and police say her owner, John Victor, pulled the trigger.
Police arrested Victor and took the terrier named Snickers to the Berwick Animal Hospital.
Vet tech Karla Keen has been taking care of Snickers since animal control officers brought her in early Thursday morning. Officials say she had been shot once in the neck and once in the leg. Keen says luckily, neither bullet hit any vital organs.
Victor is charged with cruelty to animals. Thursday, he said he was sorry.
"I had problems with the dog," he told WTOC. "It's been going on for years. I apologize to the community and I am mortified."
Police were called to Victor's home on East 54th Street after neighbors heard gunshots.
According to the police report, Victor shot Snickers with a handgun. Police say he told officers he intended to kill the dog, that he was a Vietnam War veteran and the sound of the dog barking frightened him.
Police say he also told officers he tried to give the dog away, but no one wanted her.
Victor says he didn't think to take the dog to the Humane Society. "In retrospect, I should have taken the dog to the pound and that should have been it," he said.
Savannah-Chatham police lieutenant Brenda Boulware is in charge of animal control. When she heard about what happened to Snickers, she was outraged.
"And to be treated like that is absurd," Boulware said. "I cannot believe people would do that to an animal. They hurt, they feel pain."
Boulware says Victor will not get Snickers back and she'd like to see prosecutors make the charge against Victor a felony.
Victor would just like to put this whole incident behind him. "I am happy she is alive and I hope she finds an owner who can take care of her," he said.
For now, she's in good hands at the animal hospital and soon will be looking for a new home.
Victor is out of jail on $1,850 bond. No word yet on when he will be in court. Police say at the least, he will face fines and will likely have to pay the vet bill for Snickers' care. References« GA State Animal Cruelty Map
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