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Sunday, December 04, 2016

Hunter facing charges after two dogs found dead

BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio (WTOV) — Pete Byers says he was preparing to take his dogs and his tools on a work trip to Pittsburgh when his two beloved companions, Bella and Emmy, disappeared.

"I turned around to lock that gate. I turned around my dogs were gone," Byers said. “And it’s the opening day of gun season so I’m like dying inside. I’m scared to death."

Byers says an hours-long search began. He enlisted the help of friends and neighbors and used four-wheelers, all the while calling for his pets.

Byers says hunters reported hearing shots and a dog yelp, but eventually a trail of tracks allegedly led to Michael Chedester's tree stand some 800 yards away.

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18 comments:

Anonymous said...

"The law makes it a fifth degree felony to knowingly cause serious physical harm to a companion animal, such as pets or domestic creatures."

This is ridiculous. I love animals and pets but I am getting so sick of this companion animal BS.

Steve said...

This "Hunter" should be up on more charges than this, but he should get the maximum for what he did. I've had my hunt interrupted by dogs, foxes, people unknowingly traveling through, and some just to interrupt a hunt. I've even had a car fatality interrupt one.

You don't kill 2 dogs for walking through the woods, the deer have seen them before and know them to not be a threat, and it won't upset the man's hunt. He was just out there with a gun to kill whatever he saw.

He is NOT a hunter.

Throw the book at him!

Anonymous said...

This idiot doesn't deserve to have any guns because he is too stupid to tell the difference between dogs and deer. Just proves he either did it on purpose or he shot at the sound without first checking to see what it was he was shooting. In either case, he is wrong and should be facing a stiffer penalty.

Anonymous said...

there was no valid reason for killing those animals. If that hunter shot them thinking they were game animals, then his hunting privileges should be taken away for life. I'm glad he was charged and he should have been arrested on the spot after the dog owner kicked his ass

Zorro said...

I would have shot the hunter out of the tree....his body eventually would have been found after a few big snows....

Anonymous said...

As a hunter, and a dog owner, this guy should be put away for a long time. Once out he should not be allowed to own a gun or hunt again. It also wouldn't be a bad thing if someone broke his arms and legs, just because they wanted to.

Anonymous said...

Terrible News!

Anonymous said...

Have you even read the article? Seen this guy's responses on social media? Did you know he took the dogs' collars as trophies? This was purposeful, with intent, and malicious. Throw the book at him.

Anonymous said...

What a twisted miscreant!!

Anonymous said...

Pycho should be shot himself.

Anonymous said...

If a hunter has unsupervised dogs romping around his deer stand while he is hunting deer, it is interfering with his right to hunt. I don't know if I would have shot them outright, but I damn sure would have shot at them close enough to scare them off. I'm on the side of the hunter, on this one.

Anonymous said...

"Companion" dogs, right? They are pets. As the hunter is charged under a new law that concerns companion dogs only, he would have to KNOW that he was shooting a companion dog. He will be acquitted, or the charges will be dropped.

Anonymous said...

December 1, 2016 at 7:35 PM:

And you would be going to prison for a very long time. You talk big about murdering someone over a dog. Zorro, you better be wearing your mask.

Anonymous said...

Of course there would be some idiots defending this guy for shooting pets for his own personal enjoyment. "Interfering with his right to hunt", "I don't know if I would have shot them outright". You are as much of a moron and a pathetic human being as the hunter in the story. People like this have no business owning firearms.

Anonymous said...

9:17 is a moron. You might shoot at dogs that interfere with your right to hunt? People like you give gun owners and hunters a bad name and give liberals ammo to banish legal gun ownership. I suppose you would run over a flock of geese in your way because they interfere with your right to get to work on time. Total moron.

Anonymous said...

It's comments like 9:17 that make me think a psych test should be required before gun ownership.

Anonymous said...

Why were the dogs at large during hunting season. Something does not add up. Actually it is a crime to interfere with lic. hunters. I own three dogs during hunting season they do not run wild. I will say this you kill one of my dogs it better be off of my property.

Anonymous said...

11:01 This is a matter of common sense. There are lots of things that can interfere with a hunt. You don't kill innocent pets (probably considered a part of the family) over it.