The incident happened December 25, 2005 as George Minzy of Baltic walked his two dogs through woods near his son Scott's Stone Hill Road property in Griswold. His 3-year-old chocolate Labrador, Dallas, was about 50 feet ahead of him. Minzy said five or six shots from a rifle rang out. Dallas ran back to Minzy and slumped over dead. "They riddled him with bullets and he ran back to me and just died," an emotional Minzy said. "I couldn't run and get them, because I would have killed them and that wouldn't have done me any good."
Dallas was hit twice by shots from what George Minzy believes was a .22-caliber rifle. He took the dog's body home and dug a hole, but had to have a friend wrap the body and put it in the grave, because he couldn't bear to do it himself. "You want to remember him as a happy-go-lucky dog, not bullet-ridden and in the back of my truck," Minzy said.
State Department of Environmental police searched the area with Minzy, but couldn't find foot tracks. Minzy said they found all-terrain-vehicle tracks, but weren't able to determine the vehicle's owner. Cynthia Chanaca, a department spokesman, said the incident is under investigation and there are no suspects.
Mary Ellen Minzy, George's wife, couldn't hold back tears, saying the dog was like a member of the family. She said another of their dogs had to be put down three weeks ago and the family was still mourning that loss when Sunday's death occurred. "It just ruined everything," Mary Ellen Minzy said. "Christmas will never be the same." Their daughter-in-law, Melissa Minzy, said this Christmas was supposed to be special because her children were both old enough to understand Santa Claus and the holiday. After the shooting, there was no way to salvage the day, she said. "We have dinner, but who's eating? Nobody's hungry," Melissa Minzy said. "It's a family thing and it's ruined." Scott Minzy said the Jewett City Water Department owns the property behind his house and there shouldn't be any hunters on it, especially on Christmas. He said the family can't believe someone shot the dog on purpose. "You hope it was an accident," Scott Minzy said. "You hope they thought it was a deer."
This isn't the first problem the Minzys have had in the woods. Last year, Scott Minzy said his father's dogs were caught in snares. The Department of Environmental Protection police found 27 traps, but not the people who set them.
The family is offering a $500 reward for any information about who may have shot their dog. Mary Ellen Minzy said finding the perpetrator will give her peace of mind, but won't ease her pain at losing her pet.
"He used to take my shoes and greet me at the door when I came home," she said through tears. "He used to sleep with his head on me in the bed at night." If you have information on this case, please contact:
George Minzy
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