Rancher justified in shooting and killing dog on private property

Posted: Jan 3, 2013 6:28 PM by Nikki Ibarra, KSBY News
Updated: Jan 4, 2013 9:58 AM

Sheriff's Dept.: Rancher 'justified' in shooting dog

A Pismo Beach woman is speaking out, after her dog was shot and killed on a private cattle ranch in Arroyo Grande.

It happened on Tuesday morning.

Connie Allen was walking her unleashed dog on a ranch which, she said, is used by hikers and other dog walkers.

Allen said she didn't leash her dog because, she said, he was not a threat to other animals.

But on Tuesday, the dog chased after the cows; only to be shot, shortly after, by the rancher.

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department told KSBY, according to the law, the rancher was justified when he shot the dog.

According to the California Food and Agriculture Code, "It is unlawful for any person to permit a dog which is owned, harbored, or controlled by him to run at large on any farm on which livestock or domestic fowls are kept, without the consent of the owner of the farm." The code also states, "Any person may kill any dog in any of the following cases, including if the dog is found in the act of killing, wounding, or persistently pursuing or worrying livestock or pultry on land or premises which are not owned or possessed by the owner of the dog."

"They love to run. They can run free there. He's never chased a cow and that's why I take him out there," said Allen.

But on that day, the four year-old hound dog, named Doogie, acted differently.

"The dog never had chased cows but all of a sudden the cows ran. I heard a 'pop, pop' so I went running, screaming through there and I heard my dog yelp so I went running and screaming through there so he wouldn't shoot anymore shots, you know. Little did I know he had shot him dead," said Allen.

Allen took KSBY back to that very spot where it all happened.

"I totally understand where they're coming from but he didn't need to shoot the dog," added Allen.

The rancher later apologized to Allen and told her he didn't mean to kill the dog. In fact, he hoped the shots would just scare the dog off his property. "I got him from my husband who actually passed away in March and so he's kind of been my protector," said Allen.