Man arrested after DNR officer sees him fatally shoot dog
EDINBURGH, Ind. (WISH) — Authorities in Johnson County arrested a man they say shot a dog right through its heart. It happened Sunday afternoon at Camp Atterbury.
The images authorities captured of the dead beagle are so troubling that News 8 blurred them.
“It was shot through the chest by a high-powered rifle,” said Mike Delp, director of Johnson County Animal Control. He continued, “Apparently the heart itself was blown out of the animal’s chest.”
On Friday, Kang Zhuang faced animal torture charges. Investigators said he was hunting out of season. Zhuang allegedly told police that he meant to shoot a pheasant when he accidentally shot the dog. A DNR officer was nearby and allegedly witnessed the whole incident. The officer said there were no pheasants around at the time of the shooting.
When questioned, Zhuang also allegedly told officers the dog belonged to him. But authorities said the same dog had been spotted in the area the day before. The dog did not have tags or a microchip.
Delp said he hasn’t seen an animal torture case in more than a year.
“Beagles are particularly friendly, good with kids typically, excitable. They like a lot of interaction with human beings,” said Delp.
Delp believes the dog was around 6 months old, so possibly still a puppy. He is not sure why Zhuang allegedly shot the dog, but he said he wants the man to pay for his actions.
“It’s rough. It’s pretty heart-wrenching,” said Delp.
The dog was taken to Purdue University, where a necropsy will be performed to determine if the dog is wild or domestic. The case has been handed over to the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office, which will make a final charging decision.
