STAUNTON — A man who shot and killed his neighbor’s dog last year was convicted Wednesday in Augusta County Circuit Court.
Louis E. Davis Jr., 67, of Waynesboro, pleaded no contest to a charge of animal cruelty, and Circuit Judge Shannon Sherrill found him guilty of the felony.
Davis killed his neighbor’s dog, a Husky, with a large-caliber revolver the morning of Sept. 15. The shooting took place in the 200 block of Rip Rap Road near Waynesboro. It was initially reported the dog was a service dog, but Augusta County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Kyle Powers said the canine, while trained, was not certified as an actual service dog.
When questioned about the shooting, Davis gave various versions of the incident. “There were several stories that were given to the deputies,” Powers said in court Wednesday.
Previous testimony showed that deputies questioned Davis at his home, where he lived for 35 years before a condition of his bond forced him to relocate to a relative’s house. Sgt. Mike Roane of the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office testified last year that Davis told him he wasn’t initially sure if he shot a dog or coyote. Davis also claimed he wasn’t shooting at the animal and said the bullet ricocheted some 30 yards off the ground and struck the dog.