Dog shot dead at rural animal shelter

mingus, texas

The Community Animal Rescue Effort (CARE) in Palo Pinto County has fewer than a dozen dogs in its care. But this month, when two of them got into a fight, one of them was put down by a neighbor with a shotgun.

A witness who did not wish to be identified said the shelter's president let him do it.

"The men who came up to help her went back to their house, came back and carried a shotgun out of the truck and into the yard, and it was at that point we heard the shot," the witness said.

She wants to know why someone who would shoot a dog is allowed to run a non-profit agency that's supposed to protect animals.

"I think it goes against everything they are trying to accomplish," the witness said.

Texas code states that dogs and cats in the care of an animal shelter can only be euthanized by lethal injection or carbon monoxide, and that it must be done by a trained technician or a veterinarian.

A statement on CARE's Web site says the organization believes "...in humane and ethical treatment of all animals..."

Peggy McQueary, the president of CARE, called News 8 and explained the dog that was shot was a danger to other animals and children in Mingus, and said she authorized the neighbor to shoot it.

"Me being in that situation, I felt there was imminent danger," McQueary said, "and I notified a law enforcement official of what I was doing as well."

McQueary also said CARE is not equipped to handle aggressive dogs; it's not a shelter, and the closest vet is miles away.

That, however, is not comforting to the neighbors who witnessed the shooting.

E-mail cnorton@wfaa.com