By Pat Culverhouse
A Minden man has been arrested for allegedly shooting a neighbor’s dog that reportedly entered the yard of his Pine St. residence last week.
Jason MacDonald, 51, has been booked into the parish prison on charges of aggravated cruelty to animals and illegal use of a weapon as a result of the Nov. 25 incident. He also reportedly was charged on a fugitive warrant through the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office.
During questioning by investigating officer Lt. Anthony Miller, the owner said her 10-month-old pit bull-mix managed to get out of her residence in the 800 block of Pine St. and enter MacDonald’s yard in the 700 block of Pine just after 10 p.m.
After initially retrieving the animal, the owner said it managed to get away and again entered the neighboring yard. While attempting to get the dog a second time, the owner claimed her flashlight ceased operating. While checking the flashlight, the owner claimed she saw a muzzle flash and heard the sound of a gunshot.
Following the gunshot, the dog reportedly returned to its yard where the owner discovered it had been shot once in the mouth. According to the incident report, the animal is expected to survive the wound.
When questioned by Lt. Miller, MacDonald said the owner had retrieved the dog once, but it returned and was barking and lunging at him in an aggressive manner. MacDonald reportedly said he feared the animal would bite and admitted he shot it once with a 9MM handgun.
MacDonald reportedly told the investigating officer he did not call police about the animal since it was in his yard only a short period of time and was acting aggressively. According to the incident report, MacDonald was not bitten during the incident.
He reportedly was booked into Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center. No bond reportedly has been set.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.