LAMONT, Calif. (KERO) — A family is alleging their neighbors son shot three of their dogs using a pellet gun, killing two of them.
- Video shows how a Lamont family is devastated, grieving the death of two of their dogs, who they say were shot with a pellet gun by their neighbor's son.
- Security camera footage from the owners house shows the dogs running on the outdoor patio on March 26th. Shortly after you hear a pop which which the owners think are from a pellet gun, then cries from the dogs, and laughter.
- Director of Kern County Animal Services Nick Cullen said a necropsy, also known as an autopsy, revealed the cause of death was not due to the pellets.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A family is alleging their neighbors son shot three of their dogs using a pellet gun, killing 2 of them. Security camera audio I was able to obtain, reveal the sound of the shots, the cries from the dogs, and laughter afterwards.
This video is from the owner's house and shows the dogs on the backyard patio on March 26th. A pop is heard, which the family says is the sound of a pellet gun being shot...then dog cries... and laughter afterwards. According to the dog owners they think the shots came from the fence, and say the laughter in the video is the neighbors son.
"I'm furious," stated Rosa Patro, one of the dogs' owners. "It's not fair those dogs didn't deserve it."
Patron says it happened when no one was home and when her mother and brother arrived, they noticed their dogs, Rocky—a Chihuahua-Terrior mix—and Estrellita—a Jack Rusell mix—lying on the floor. At first, she said they thought they were sleeping, but their cries made them realize something happened. They say these pictures they provided show the two dogs dead, which we blurred.
"We didn't know what was going on until we checked our cameras and we heard the shots and then we heard the dogs moaning. And then once my brother checked the dogs you see the pellet shots on them," said Patron.
She says her neighbor allegedly approached them to say their dogs were shot because they had gotten onto her property and attempted to kill her chickens.
Director of Kern County Animal Services Nick Cullen Director said a necropsy, also known as an autopsy, was performed on the dogs to confirm if the death was due to the pellets.
In an email to 23ABC, Cullen said, "Without doing some sort of toxicology, and in the absence of any trauma related injuries, it's very difficult to determine cause of death in dogs at times. Keep in mind we were specifically looking for death brought on by wounds from a pellet gun, as that was the allegation."
23ABC attempted to speak to the neighbors on multiple occasions, but were unable to get a hold of them.
Patron added that she is devastated by the way her dogs were allegedly killed and how nothing can be done to serve them justice.
"I just want justice for them," she said, "And the kid too—the kid needs help. Why would a kid at that age—he's probably like 8–12 years old, why would he be doing that to dogs?"
The third dog, was taken to the vet and is now recovering for the pellet wounds. However his owners said he is now afraid of people and loud sounds.
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