FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A man accused of shooting and killing a dog that ran onto his property is now facing a felony animal cruelty charge.
Sheriff Rick Staly said the shooting happened back on Nov. 5 but there was a lot of evidence to go through.
“We worked the investigation in late November of last year and then we sent it to the State Attorney’s Office. We felt it was a good case and charges were appropriate, and it just took a while for the State Attorney’s Office to get through their cases,” he said.
Staly said in November, the dog ran onto property belonging to their suspect, John Thames, in the Hunter’s Ridge area near the Flagler and Volusia border.
He said Thames originally told deputies the dog was acting aggressively towards children on his property, so he shot her.
“There was no way in our opinion that he could be defending himself or any member of his family,” he said.
Surveillance video shared with News 6 showed Thames’ property. The shooting could not be seen but a single gunshot could be heard.
Another angle showed the dog running off Thames’ property and whimpering, then getting stuck under the fence trying to get back to its home where the owner later found her dead.
The Sheriff said they had never received a complaint about this animal before.
“If you have a dispute with a neighbor over their animals or pets call law enforcement call animal service before it spirals out of control,” he said.
Investigators have charged Thames with third-degree felony animal cruelty. He turned himself in this week and he’s already out on bond.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: