Woman shoots neighbor’s dog after son is bitten, authorities say

A pit bull mix was shot Monday morning by a woman whose son was bitten by the dog, Boone County deputies said.

Boone County deputies responded just before 9 a.m. to a report of person getting bitten by a dog and someone shooting the dog in the 6000 block of Murray Lane.

Deputies said Shawna Murray shot her neighbor’s dog, Barney, with a .22-caliber rifle because it bit Tylor, her 21-year-old son, who is diagnosed with Down syndrome, on the hand while Barney was on Murray’s property.

Murray said when she saw the dog run onto her property, she grabbed her rifle and went outside to look for Tylor. She said Barney went toward her until he saw Tylor with a stick in his hand, then went toward him.

Deputies did not file a report because the shooting was not considered a crime. They called Boone County Animal Control to respond to the incident.

Barney, who belongs to Murray’s neighbor, Regina Buckler, was taken to Noah’s Ark Animal Hospital to be treated for the gunshot wound.

Buckler said she tried to retrieve Barney. She said while Barney headed toward her, Murray shot him.

Murray said it was not the first time that Buckler’s dog had bitten Tylor, and said it wasn’t the first time that the dog was aggressive toward people and other animals.

“It’s killed chickens, it’s came after me when I’d been outside cleaning the hot tub out, it’s went after the neighbor’s, up the road, horses,” Murray said.

Murray said that because Tylor has Down syndrome, he doesn’t know the difference between a vicious and a nice dog.

Murray told ABC 17 News that the dog killed all 20 of her chickens.

According to deputies, animal control officers had Buckler’s dog in a 10-day quarantine after the first time it bit Tylor about two months ago.

Buckler called her dog a “sweetheart.” She said the reason the dog bit Tylor the first time was because he was on her property with his dogs. She said Tylor extended his hand toward her dog too quickly.

Buckler said she has the first incident on camera.

Buckler said she wouldn’t have a “vicious” dog near her 5-year-old daughter. She said Barney is never aggressive toward people who visit her home.

Buckler received a citation to attend a committee hearing regarding her dog.

According to Boone County ordinance, a committee will decide if Barney is vicious or not. If the committee deems Barney vicious, Buckler must apply for a permit allowing her to own a vicious dog and must build a special kennel for him.