Missoula man won’t be charged for dog’s shooting death

MISSOULA – Missoula police aren’t charging a man for shooting and killing his neighbor’s dog to break up a fight with his boxer.

The Missoulian reports 14-year-old Hayden McCarthy was walking his dog Lou when his neighbor’s dog Bruce ran out of the garage and the two animals began fighting.

McCarthy ran to get his mother. The neighbor, Dana Wagner, got a gun and shot Lou.

Police spokesman Travis Welsh says Missoula Animal Control will now decide whether to ticket Wagner as well as McCarthy’s parents, Matt and Nel-Lani Powers.

Nel-Lani says the shooting was retaliation for a previous fight between the dogs that left Bruce in the veterinarian’s office.

Wagner directed questions to attorney J.R. Casillas, who says Wagner considers this a tragic situation. Casillas says he couldn’t comment on whether the shooting was planned.