Dog Shot and Killed Legally in Berwick, Maine – Family Wants That Changed

Rachael Casagrande's parents' dog was legally shot and killed by a neighbor. She's working to change that.

This story is sad and infuriating. Seacoastonline spoke to Rachael about what happened. Rachael's parents' four-year-old husky, Rowdy, was staying with her and her husband in Berwick when it was legally shot and killed by a neighbor.

From there, it gets worse. The neighbor, a man Rachael and her husband know, tried to cover up the dog's death. Rowdy was shot and killed on his property because he was worried for his chickens. Rachael told Seacoastonline,

When it was finally sorted out, he admitted to police he shot the dog. He tried to hide the body, and he destroyed Rowdy's GPS and regular collars. We don't even have those as mementos of Rowdy. And he was charged by Berwick police only with criminal mischief, for destroying the collars.

Why was Rowdy, a husky dog, shot and killed legally in Maine?

This happened early in the morning (1:30 AM) on May 27. Rowdy broke through a screen at their home. Her parents' dog was staying with her family over Memorial Day weekend. They didn't know anything had happened until the next day, when they were looking for Rowdy. They looked at the app for his GPS and it said it was charged, but offline. Berwick police Captain Jerry Locke said that under Maine law, the neighbor had the right to shoot and kill Rowdy.

Maine law says it is legal to shoot and kill a dog on your property.

Maine Title 12 Conservation Law states:

An owner of domestic animals, livestock or poultry, a member of the owner's family or a person to whom is entrusted the custody of domestic livestock or poultry may kill any dog killing or attacking the domestic animals, livestock or poultry.

The neighbor told police he was worried about his chickens, and had shot coyotes on his property. But Rowdy wasn't a coyote, and when the neighbor realized that, he tried to cover it up. He took the collars to the dump and hid the dog's body. The one charge the neighbor faces is criminal mischief, a misdemeanor for destroying the dog collars. It will probably be just a fine.

The neighbor who killed Rowdy was unavailable for comment

Rachael says that it was not the first time Rowdy was on her neighbor's property. Rowdy could be adventurous, but not destructive. So they spoke to the neighbor about how they could work together. Rowdy never hurt any animals, and if it should happen, they spoke about paying for any damages. The neighbor seemed okay with that. This frustrates Rachael, because Rowdy is ALWAYS on a leash.

But no dog wears a leash to bed and he didn’t sleep well in a crate. It was just a tragic accident that he got out. Not like it was a regular thing for him to roam in the night

 

Trying to change animal cruelty laws in Maine.

Rachael and her family are hoping to change the animal cruelty laws in Maine, starting with the Berwick Board of Selectmen. They are starting small by trying to get an ordinance requiring a resident who shoots a dog to notify the police. That's the least that should happen.