Worth Co. dog shot to death by neighbor - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Worth Co. dog shot to death by neighbor

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By Taylor Sanders - email
Angry family says dog should have never died Angry family says dog should have never died
Jason Morefield admits to killing the dog after the dog tried to bite children Jason Morefield admits to killing the dog after the dog tried to bite children
Family buries dead dog in the back yard Family buries dead dog in the back yard
Family morns the loss of their dog, Cookie Family morns the loss of their dog, Cookie

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WORTH CO., GA (WALB) -

Yvonne Beamon and her family had to bury their one and a half year old Shih Tzu mix, Cookie in the backyard. He was shot in the head with a 30-06, a rifle that's typically used for deer hunting.

"There was no meaning or no need to shoot the dog. They could have stomped their feet at him and he would have ran," says Beamon.

The family says Cookie would often run around the neighborhood and play with all the kids. But Saturday afternoon Cookie made a stop at the wrong house.

"We've made calls to the Worth County Animal Control and no one responded to the calls so Saturday I kind of just got fed up with it when the dog was in my yard and I caught him and I shot him," said Jason Morefield, Neighbor.

Morefield said for weeks he tried to contact the Worth County Sheriff's Office and Animal Control. But when Cookie growled and tried to bite his children he'd had enough.

"No I don't like shooting animals, I love animals. But like I said, my girlfriend has two kids in the house and they can't fight off a dog on their own. It doesn't matter how big or small the dog is. I can't take that chance," says Morefield.

But neighbors say, Cookie was a nice dog that would never try to bite anyone and they say Saturday's shooting should have never happened.

"I have 50 dogs come through here every day on our property, hers, everybody's. There big dogs, little dogs or whatever. I'm not going to come out here and shoot a dog. That's stupid. Call the proper authorities and have it handled," says Juanita Pergo, Neighbor.

Worth County deputies responded to the shooting Saturday and deputies told him because the dog was on Morefield's property, it'll be left up to a judge to decide what charges, if any, he will face.

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