Freeport man claims he shot neighbors’ dogs to protect his chickens
FREEPORT – Authorities early in the week didn’t yet know if they will charge a Freeport man for shooting and killing his neighbor’s two dogs on July 24.
Tuscarawas County Sheriff Orvis Campbell says the 55-year-old Paisley Road resident said he shot the dogs because they attacked his chickens. That wouldn’t be illegal.
“Ohio law specifically allows for you to shoot an animal that’s attacking your animals and your livestock and your chickens and your cattle and all that kind of stuff. However, it’s just unclear if that’s exactly what was going on here.”
The 21-year-old Tippecanoe man who owned the dogs reported the incident in the evening of July 24. Campbell says investigators are getting conflicting stories from the parties involved, so they’re collecting more statements and examining the scene.
“The report has been forwarded to the Tuscarawas County prosecutor’s office, so we’ll wait on them to make a formal decision on the charges. Charges could potentially be a felony or a misdemeanor.”
The report indicates a deputy collected shotgun shells at the scene and observed a pool of blood on the side of a road. The deputy reported the man showed him where he shot the dogs and where he disposed of the bodies. The dogs’ owner was able to collect the bodies.