Two men are facing aggravated animal cruelty and obstruction of justice charges after police say they shot their neighbors dog with a mini crossbow.
Deputies arrested 20-year-old Dalton Zindars and 19-year-old Dakota Leddy-Wilber on Friday. The Macon County Sheriff's Office says they were called to the 2000 block of West Leafland Avenue February 21 after reports of a wounded, bleeding dog with an arrow sticking out of its shoulder.
The dog, a Corgi-mix named Pippin, required more than $3,000 worth of surgery but is expected to be okay.
"The dog came outside and was in the backyard. One individual that the mini crossbow belonged to shot at the dog and missed. He then gave the crossbow to his friend and said 'Why don't you do it? I know you won't miss' and he shot the dog," explains Lieutenant Antonio Brown.
Police say it took a community effort to find out what happened to Pippin. A Crime Stoppers tip helped lead to their arrests.
"Gathering more information from the community and the public through Crime Stoppers to gathering that information and investigating to finding out what had taken place to getting the statements from the individuals through great interviewing, this couldn't have been done without the cooperation between the community and law enforcement," says Lt. Brown.
Zindars and Leddy-Wilber will be arraigned in court on April 11. They posted bond at $10,000 each. As part of their bond agreement, they will not be allowed to be the primary caretaker for any animal.
