Pair of German Shepherds Killed During Coyote Hunt

In a (very bad) case of mistaken identity, a pair of pet German Shepherds have been killed by Ontario coyote hunters.  According to reports, the dogs were located in their back yard when shots rang out, alerting their owners that something was most definitely wrong.

Situated on a 5-acres property in the small town of Belmont, Ontario, Kaitlin Strong reportedly let her two dogs, Hank and Mary Jane, out in the yard like she had done many times before. But this time, they never returned. 

According to her statement, her dogs went missing on February 8th after she and her husband heard shots fired very close to their property.  

“I personally feel unsafe in my home because this is not just a hunting accident — it’s a public safety issue,” Strong said. “They’re firing near houses on land they shouldn’t be on and it’s not just a safety issue for pets and pet owners. It’s also a safety issue for the entire community.”

Strong stated that she attempted to call the dogs after hearing the shots, but they never responded. After an hour had passed, she ventured out into the woods behind her home in an attempt to locate her dogs. It was there where she eventually came upon a fresh blood trail and drag marks in the snow she assumed had to do with the shots that were fired.

"I wondered if someone had killed a deer or coyote and spooked my dogs in the process," she said. "At this time, we presumed both animals were alive and at large, but upon closer inspection of the drag marks, I spotted a few pieces of dog hair that resembled Hank's."

With the help of her husband, the pair went on to canvas the neighborhood in search of the two large dogs and eventually decided to file a report with the Ontario Provincial Police and the Department of Natural Resources. As part of the investigation, officials arrived on the scene where they collected both hair and blood samples.

Two days later, natural resource officials recovered the bodies of both of the dogs and returned them to Strong and her husband. According to Strong, one man has since turned himself into police and will face charges.

Neither police or natural resource officers would corroborate the statement given the on-going investigation.

Despite the omission of guilt and pending charges, Strong has admitted that she is unsure as to when, if ever, she will be able to enjoy her property again.

"We can never enjoy a walk through our bush again without being reminded of the horrible way in which our precious animals were taken from us," said Strong. "It makes me feel powerless. I lost everything that day and there's very little we can do about it."