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A Pennsylvania family is mourning the loss of their beloved dog after a hunter fatally shot him while mistaking him for a coyote.
Chris Heller was walking his two dogs in the woods near his home on January 7 when his 8-year-old malamute mix Hunter was shot by a deer hunter, according to a Facebook post by his wife, Jennifer Heller.
Chris Heller hurried to deliver the puppy to an emergency veterinarian, but he was unable to make it. She reported that Hunter died en route.
Jennifer Heller noted, “Hunter was an incredibly sweet and intelligent dog who was gentle with the Hellers’ young grandchildren, best friends with the other animals in the house, and a loving companion who would do anything for a piece of cheese.”
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pennsylvania Game Commission stated that the hunter will not face charges or disciplinary action since he mistook the beloved family pet for a coyote.
Jennifer Heller stated that the Hellers want the commission to suspend the hunter’s hunting license and require him to retake a safety course, or at least an apology from him for murdering their dog.
She commented, “One of the most important rules of hunting is to know what you’re shooting, and when this man shot without knowing what he was shooting, he took the life of a wonderful pet who had much more love to share.”
Jennifer Heller reported that her husband was alerting a party of deer hunters while walking their adopted New Jersey shelter dog, Hunter, and their German shepherd, Freya, on a cleared path through the woods.
She said that both dogs were wearing collars and harnesses and that Hunter is approximately three times the size of a coyote.
She claimed that the hunter who killed the family pouch never apologized and is unwilling to come forward for fear of social media retribution.
The family has consulted with an attorney and now intends to pursue legal action. They have started a GoFundMe campaign to fund legal bills.
“Hunter will be sorely missed by the entirety of our family. Rest in peace, our lovely friend,” Jennifer Heller wrote.
This is not the first time a hunter has mistakenly shot a domesticated dog for a wild animal and killed it.
A Montana lady was charged with animal cruelty in November after she shot and skinned a Siberian husky puppy because she mistook it for a wolf. After posting images of the skinned animal to social media, the woman drew uproar.
»Hunter in Pennsylvania shot a family’s dog because he thought it was a coyote«