Pit Bull Owner Shoots Neighbor's Puppy in Retaliation
Dispute Leaves Puppy and Pit Bull Dog DeadBeaumont, TX - A dispute involving the owner of a puppy and the owner of a pit bull has left both dogs dead and one of the owners facing possible charges. The Hardin County Sheriff's Office says 33-year old William Curtis Smith admits killing the puppy, but he claims it was in retaliation for the shooting death of his pit bull.
Smith was arrested on an unrelated warrant (
pit bull owners are more likely to have outstanding warrents). He has not yet been charged with killing the puppy. The owner of the puppy, Jeff Williams, describes what happened after he and his family came home from his daughter's softball practice, expecting to see the puppy, Tiny, outside.
"We pulled up in the driveway and saw the dog laying there in a pool of blood and she was dying, and I tried to nurse her as much as I could and realized she wasn't going to make it and she was suffering."
Williams approached his neighbor and asked him if he'd heard any gunshots. Smith said, "Yeah, I shot your dog and I'd shoot you, too." Fearing further retaliation, Williams got back into his truck and called the police. He believes Smith killed his puppy out of vengeance because Williams shot Smith's pit bull.
Williams isn't happy about what he did, but he said, "I had to take care of things that way...I was in fear for my wife and my kids and myself." Williams says the pit bull wasn't chained in this backyard. He says several times it got loose in the neighborhood, menaced his family, and mauled another one his dogs.
Williams hopes the Sheriff's Department takes care of things. He doesn't want any further disputes. The Hardin County Sheriff's Office is deciding whether to charge Smith with animal cruelty and making a terroristic threat.
DogsBite.org thinks both charges are appropriate.
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