West Vincent farmer charged after shooting neighbor’s dogs

[SecularMotion]

WEST CHESTER — Authorities filed criminal charges Friday against the man who allegedly shot and killed two family pets on Feb. 12 in the Chester Springs section of West Vincent.

Gabriel Pilotti, 72, was charged with two counts of cruelty to animals and one count of recklessly endangering another person for fatally shooting two of his neighbor’s pets on his property in the first block of Pine Drive.

Pilotti was charged with recklessly endangering another person because a nearby home was occupied at the time of the shooting, officials said.

“There was no justification for the killing of these two dogs,” Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said. “The defendant has been charged and will be dealt with appropriately. Our sympathies go out to the family and children who lost their beloved pets.”

http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130222/NEWS01/130229749/west-vincent-farmer-charged-after-shooting-neighbor-s-dogs

[MrYikes]

1. You must wait until the dogs attack the sheep,

then we can charge you for animal cruelty for the sheep, since you didn't do your DUTY to protect them.

[FreakinDJ]

5. The dogs were not attacking the sheep

Yes, they were on his property. He called them over, and summarily executed them.

Yes I live in a rural portion of Calif. surrounded by sheep ranchers, and when the family dogs pack together and begin killing sheep they are in mass hysteria blood thurst and are not going to listen to their master much less a stranger.

Happens here all the time where a rancher is forced to shoot a couple of dogs molesting his sheep. They normally use deer rifles because they are running at a distance. Not a shotgun at 5 - 10 feet

[Progressive dog]

6. Yup, preemptive execution of family dogs

and discharging weapons in populated areas should always be applauded. After all, you are doing your DUTY.
Bonus DUTY points if you "accidentally" shoot a few neighbors in the process.

[Iggo]

8. You're absolutely right.

You MUST wait for the dogs to attack the sheep before you can say the dogs were attacking the sheep.

I'm glad we agree on that.

[Warren DeMontague]

2. Wait 'til they find out what's in his fritters.

[tclambert]

4. Were the dogs wearing hoodies?

'Cause, you know, that would justify it.

[fasttense]

7. I have sheep and I can understand the man's concern for them.

Especially since the incident in May where much livestock was injured and killed by 2 roaming pit bulls.

But we keep a guardian livestock dog with our sheep and if any dogs got near our sheep, well I feel sorry for the dog that thinks it can get a sheep or two. Our Anatolian shepard would easily chase them off or hurt them. One of our neighbors also keeps very dangerous dogs. One of them use to terrorize the neighborhood and kill family pets, dogs, cats and miniature horses. Animal control claimed they could do nothing about it. When the neighbor got tired of paying vet bills and replacing dead animals, she finally fenced them in. But with our Anatolian shepard we didn't have to worry about that.

At the same time, I've lost some very special dogs to people poisoning them (they got out of the fence) and I can totally understand the family's concern for their pets.