In Indianapolis, there will be no charges pressed against the man who shot and killed a child’s service dog in the southeast section of the city last week. Two city animal control ordinances played a role in the shooting death of the beloved dog. Meanwhile a child has been left devastated having seen his dog killed in front of him.
According to FoxNews, the 10-year-old Labrador retriever named Clyde went everywhere with the young boy named Mason. Clyde was a registered service dog, and Mason’s family adopted the dog for their 12-year-old autistic son when he was just three years old.
He goes everywhere with him. Whether he’s riding a bike, playing with his hover board, playing with his friends, the dog’s right there. Dog even gets on the trampoline at 10 years old.
Heather Mills to Fox News
And then came May 25, 2023 as Mason and Clyde had been playing in front of the family home. Surveillance video showed Mason on his hoverboard in the driveway; Clyde was visible just beyond the driveway.
A man is spotted on the video walking down the sidewalk and crossing a driveway heading towards the Mills’ home when the man and the dog see each other. Clyde walks towards the man, but his path is blocked from the camera by an SUV parked in the driveway. The dog backed up and started to bark.
That’s when the man could be seen reaching into his belt as the dog gets closer. When the two are no more than two feet apart; Clyde’s front paw is on one side of the sidewalk, and the man is on the other side of the sidewalk, the man draws his gun and shoots Clyde in the head.
Authorities immediately responded to the call, and neighbors called the shooting death of the dog as “senseless”; especially everyone in the area knowing the dog was not aggressive and extremely sweet and gentle.
The shooter was not criminally charged because the dog was “at large” – not confined by a fence or confined to a pen, and the dog was not “monitored” on a leash or other restraint attended to by a “competent person.” The combination of the violations and the state law which permits the use of deadly force to “prevent serious bodily injury” wound up saying the shooter was in his rights to kill Clyde.
The family is devastated, and a Go Fund Me has been established to raise funds for another service dog for this child.
Hello we are trying to raise funds to get Mason another service dog. Mason is an autistic 12 year old little boy who tragically lost his service dog a week ago of 10 years Clyde and it happened in front of him. Mason has had a service dog since he was 3 years old. Mason was non verbal when Clyde came home and within 6 months he was talking. It’s very detrimental that Mason is able to get a trained registered service dog. If you could help No matter the amount our family would be forever grateful. We will post pictures and videos of Mason with his new service dog as well as some training videos and fun videos if able. We will be adding a fence as well with donations as well as getting Mason some counseling.
GoFundMe
What are your thoughts? Rest in peace Clyde.
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The pos who shot Clyde is despicable. Clyde was curious about this person, not attacking him…….
Better questions to ask would be: why didn’t Clyde’s family have a properly fenced front yard? and where were the parents?
It makes me sick inside that a wonderful service dog was killed in front of a child by this pos (who now has a reserved spot in the hottest part of Hell where he will burn forever for his cruelty)…….
Clyde, I know that you are in Heaven. Please look for MacKitty and join his wonderful snuggle buddies group and RIP amongst loving friends.