Crossbow Attack on Dog Prompts Felony Animal Cruelty Charges in Michigan

Anytime someone hurts a dog, it makes my blood boil.

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I understand in rare situations a dog might attack another persons dog or child and of course make the difficult decision to stop that attack.

But I’ll never be okay with someone inflicting pain on an animal for any reason other than defending another

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According to the Kent County Sheriff’s” office a man has now been charged with animal cruelty for intentionally shooting a dog while he was hunting.

68-year-old Thomas Webber is accused of shooting a neighbor’s dog through the torso while he was hunting.

This disturbing incident took place on Monday, October 20th.

Webber told the KCSO that he had been hunting on his property located in Cannon Township when a black lab and an Australian shepherd wandered onto his property.

Webber then shot the lab with a crossbow. He later told detectives that he did this because he ‘became frustrated’ with the dogs being on his property.

WZZM 13 reported that Webber had previously asked the Kent County Sheriff's Office and animal control to look into these dogs on his property, but he said not enough had been done.

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The injured dog was able to survive being shot and was found later that night by its owners in a pool of blood.

They rushed the dog to an animal hospital for surgery. which along with other treatments came to around $7,000.

Thankfully the arrow missed all of the dog’s major organs. But the dog’s stomach may be damaged.

Webber is now facing a third-degree animal cruelty/torture charge and will be arraigned on Nov. 25.

In Michigan, third-degree animal cruelty (killing or torturing animals) is a felony offense punishable by up to 4 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, and/or up to 500 hours of community service.

I doubt it will happen, but I hope they give him the full four years, even though that still may not be enough given what he did.