'Ranchers' Right' to Shoot Dogs Sparks Debate

November 25, 2008

A case concerning two dogs, which were randomly shot while walking through a cattle field, remains pending in courts near Orlando, Fla. (Pet Pulse Photo by Victoria Lim)

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The shootings of two huskies roaming a cattle field has sparked international outrage, prompting calls from the Animal Legal Defense Fund and the Humane Society of the United States for the shooter to face charges.

"When we first pulled up there was a large gentleman walking towards the dogs," said witness Patrick Miller, describing the May 19 shootings of Hoochie and Raley, owned by Chris Butler.

"Chris (Butler) went running out there with a leash in hand, yelling at the guy who had just pulled out a gun and started shooting the dogs. He was just firing into them -- I was screaming 'No, no, no!' "

Miller's screaming attempt to intervene was captured by a tourist, who later posted the video on the Internet.

According to Butler, the two dogs were off their leashes when they took off running from a pond during a nightly walk. The dogs wandered almost two miles from their home, into a field with cattle.

While Butler searched for his dogs, a crowd began to gather at the corner of a field and highway, watching cattle owner Christopher Comins observe the loose dogs intermingle with the cattle.

Miller, who is also Butler's neighbor, was among the crowd and recognized the dogs. Miller raced to Butler's home to inform Butler that his dogs had been found

Yet as Butler and Miller returned to the scene, Comins was already armed and in the field.

In the video, Miller is heard screaming "No, no, no!" while Butler is seen running into the field with leashes in hand. Simultaneously, Comins fires nine shots at the dogs. Both were wearing collars, witnesses say.

One bullet shattered Hoochie's leg and another took out his eye. Raley still has a bullet in his back, but has fully recovered.

According to a police incident report, Comins told the Orange County Sheriff's Office that the dogs appeared to be preparing to attack and were attempting to harm a calf.

Under Florida law, property owners can shoot dogs if the canines harass and attack cattle, or act aggressively.

However, the incident report also notes that no injuries were found to the cattle.

A sheriff's office investigation concluded Comins acted within the law by protecting cattle from a possible attack.

Now the ALDF, HSUS, Butler, his attorney and close to 5,000 people from around the world, have signed an online petition, saying the incident is a case of animal cruelty.

Collectively they want the state attorney's office to charge Comins with a felony.

Comins and his attorney declined to comment, as the legal action is pending and two-fold: a civil suit filed by Butler and a defamation suit, which Comins filed against Butler.

Comins' supporters have set up a blog, which displays letters from the land and cattle owner.

But while the cases hang in the balance of the justice system, Butler is the only person, so far, who has faced legal action. He received two citations for having his dogs off their leashes and was made to pay $107 for each dog.

"Just to add insult to injury, I had to pay $10 for writing the citation," Butler said.

In Butler's civil suit, animal law attorney Jennifer Dietz has filed to recover the cost of Hoochie and Raley's medical bills and physical suffering. They're seeking $15,000.

"The owner was there, calling the dogs, when the man was shooting the dogs," Dietz said. "If he's there running and jumping the fence to get his dogs and one dog was shot and running towards his owner, it goes beyond what a normal person would do. It's not reasonable."

The state attorney's office said its investigation continues, while the ALDF stands behind its offer to assist the state attorney's office with the case.

For more information on Christopher Comins' blog, visit ChristopherComins.BlogSpot.com. For more information on the Animal Legal Defense Fund, visit ALDF.org. For more information to petition the husky dogs shot in Orange County, Fla., visit ThePetitionSite.com.

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