Dog shot with blunt-tipped arrow
Milton, WI (US)Incident Date: Friday, May 21, 2010
County: Rock
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available
Alleged: Dale A. Moore
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
While wagging her tail with her tongue hanging out, Casey suddenly yelped.
"She had an arrow embedded in her left side," said James Morke, who owns the 10-year-old Great Pyrenees. "You don't just walk up and shoot someone's pet. I mean, that's nuts."
Dale A. Moore, 62, of 7720 N. County KK, Milton, was arrested on charges of misdemeanor disorderly conduct while armed and misdemeanor mistreating animals.
Moore admitted to investigators he shot the dog with his bow and arrow, according to Rock County Sheriff's Office reports.
Casey's owners now want the state Legislature to make mistreating animals a felony. They plan to collect signatures and lobby legislators.
"Our dogs give us so much joy and unconditional love. I feel we need to have a voice for them," Lynn Morke said. "I just can't believe that someone would think this was OK."
James was walking Casey and his German shorthair, Fritz, along the railroad tracks Friday, May 21, near Milton when Casey stopped because she was tired and hot.
Casey waited for James and Fritz to turn around. She was then struck with the arrow and started running away.
James thought his dog was stung or scratched. The 105-pound animal is generally docile and laid back, he said.
"It was a deliberate, unprovoked attack on my dog," Lynn said. "She was doing nothing but sitting down and resting."
The arrow pierced Casey's chest cavity, dangerously close to her lungs and diaphragm. The dog survived because her long, thick white coat protected her.
"It was a good shot," James said. "It was a kill shot."
James, who was ticketed for trespass to railroad, jerked the arrow out of Casey's body and confronted the shooter.
"I didn't go crazy, but I was (mad)," he said.
Casey is a friendly dog that only growls when a cat goes near her food dish. She often greets people on hiking trails or at the dog park, her owners said.
"She didn't ask to get shot. She didn't do anything worthy of being shot," Lynn said. "I don't think there is an open hunting season on dogs."
Casey had to have surgery at an animal hospital in Waukesha. She is taking 22 pills a day to recover and prevent an infection. Her vet bills add up to $4,500.
She is bandaged and shaved because of her injuries.
"For a lot of us that don't have children, our dogs become an extended member of our family. Our dogs are precious as children are precious," Lynn said.
"I don't want anyone to go through what we've gone through in the last week," she said. "I can't even think of a word to describe how horrible it has been."
Case UpdatesThe owners of a dog that was shot by a Milton man is suing the shooter for the cost of veterinary bills and other damages.
Lynn and James Morke, 9848 E. Highway 59, Milton, filed a civil complaint in Rock County Court against Dale A. Moore, 7720 N. County KK, Milton. Moore, 62, was arrested on charges of misdemeanor disorderly conduct while armed and misdemeanor mistreating animals.
According to court documents, Morke on May 21 was walking his two dogs on the south side of a railroad right-of-way near County KK in Lima Township. Moore was mowing his property on the other side of the railroad track.
One of Morke's dogs, Casey, lagged behind about 100 yards west of Morke and the other dog, Fritz. Morke and Fritz turned around and started walking west when suddenly Casey yelped and started sprinting west toward Morke's parked car.
When Morke caught up to Casey, he found an arrow in the left side of her chest. He removed the blunt-tipped arrow. He saw Moore walking back to his mower from a building on his property.
Morke jumped the fence and accused Moore of shooting the 10-year-old Great Pyrenees. If the arrow tip had been a different type, it would have killed the dog, Morke said.
Moore didn't deny that.
"You're lucky it was not a gun or she would have been dead. You're lucky it was a blunt," Moore said, according to court documents.
The attack was not provoked, according to the civil complaint.
Moore admitted to shooting the dog with his bow and arrow, according to Rock County Sheriff's Office reports.
The dog suffered severe injuries that required surgery. The Morkes suffered emotional distress and incurred veterinary bills, the complaint states.
The Morkes request a jury trial in the civil case. No court activity has been scheduled for the case, according to online records.
Moore is scheduled for a pretrial hearing at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15, for the case related to his arrest. That case is scheduled for a jury trial starting Dec. 20, according to online records. | Source: gazettextra.com - Nov 15, 2010
Update posted on Nov 15, 2010 - 7:54PM |
A mistreating animals case involving a Milton man accused of shooting a dog with a bow and arrow has spurred a state legislator to propose a tougher law against pet assaults.
Dale A. Moore, 62, of 7720 N. County KK, Milton, told a Rock County sheriff's deputy that the dog wasn't on his property and wasn't barking, growling or approaching him when he shot an arrow into it, according to the criminal complaint.
The case concerned Rep. Kim Hixson, D-Whitewater, enough that he is drafting "Casey's Law," which would allow prosecutors to pursue felony charges in cases of unprovoked assaults on pets involving a deadly weapon.
The law is named after the Great Pyrenees, Casey, which was shot with an arrow May 21 while walking with his owner along railroad tracks off County KK in Lima Township. Casey had to undergo surgery at an animal hospital in Waukesha.
Hixson announced "Casey's Law" this week, just days before Moore appeared in Rock County Court on Wednesday on misdemeanor charges of mistreating animals and disorderly conduct. Moore is awaiting trial after a not guilty plea was entered in his case. He declined to comment after Wednesday's hearing.
Under the proposed law, Moore could have been charged with a felony instead of a misdemeanor.
"Pets are not merely animals living among us�"they are friends and family," Hixson said in a news release announcing "Casey's Law." "As a state, we cannot allow cruelty to companion animals to occur in any form."
According to the criminal complaint:
James Morke was walking his two dogs when Casey fell behind by 50 to 75 yards. Morke turned around and saw an arrow sticking out of the dog.
Morke said the arrow was 1 to 2 inches inside his dog. He pulled the arrow out. He then saw Moore holding a bow in his hands.
Morke yelled at Moore, asking him why he shot his dog.
"You're lucky it wasn't a gun," Moore responded.
The deputy saw what appeared to be a homemade blunt tip on the arrow taken from Casey. White hair and blood were on its end.
Moore told the deputy he was mowing his lawn when he saw the dog standing between his property line and the railroad tracks. Moore said he climbed off his mower and yelled at the dog to leave.
Moore told the deputy that he grabbed his bow and arrow and shot the dog to get it away.
Moore said he thought Casey was a different dog that had previously attacked his own dog.
Moore told the deputy that Casey was not growling, barking or heading toward him. He said his own dog wasn't outside at the time.
Moore said his first thought was to grab a gun and shoot the dog, but he didn't want to kill the animal.
After the incident, Morke and his wife, Lynn Morke, said they wanted to lobby lawmakers to make mistreating animals a felony.
They met with Hixson, who is in the process of drafting the law. "Casey's Law" would protect animals living in homes as companions. It would not protect wild game such as deer or farm animals such as cows.
Hixson has a dog he considers family.
"I know I'd do just about anything to keep my wife and children out of harm's way," Hixson said. "The same goes for our black Lab, Lucky." | Source: gazettextra.com - Aug 19, 2010
Update posted on Nov 15, 2010 - 7:53PM |
References |
