December 7, 2012
From Journal Inquirer
They never hurt anybody: Officials investigate teen hunter,
father after 3 beagles are shot dead in Suffield.
SUFFIELD — Police and state officials are investigating whether
to lodge charges against a man and his 13-year-old son after the son
— at the direction of his father — shot and killed three beagles
after they interfered with the boy’s hunting of deer off Route 159
last month, authorities said.
Police Chief Michael Manzi and
state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection spokesman
Dwayne Gardner said their agencies are investigating the incident,
including whether the boy was hunting on his own or whether his
father was supervising him, and whether they had hunting permits.
Manzi said the man admitted to ordering his son to shoot the
three Beagles because they interfered with efforts to hunt deer off
Route 159 near Boston Neck Road.
Gardner declined to name
the man and his son because the case is under investigation. He said
charges could include cruelty to animals — an offense punishable
with a maximum fine of $5,000 and up to five years in prison — but
it would be Suffield police who would ultimately have to apply for
an arrest warrant because the incident did not occur on state land.
The dogs belonged to Richard Johnson, 83, of Hartford, who used
them to hunt rabbits, said his godson, Ray Shelton of East Hartford.
Manzi said the man admitted he told his son to shoot the dogs
because the son was trying to hunt deer.
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