Justice for Douglas and Tilly: Support Our Legal Battle

On Friday, 11/08/2024, our two dogs, Douglas, a chocolate Labrador, and Tilly, a Labrador/Husky mix, were shot by a neighbor.

Douglas, who loved people and other animals, especially horses, received multiple shots from an AR-15 military-style rifle that's used for combat. After Douglas laid on the ground, no longer a “threat,” this neighbor shot Douglas in the head at close range, then he removed his dog tags with our information and buried him.

Tilly was also shot in the neck/chest area but was able to get away with a golf ball-sized hole in her chest. The neighbor didn’t call the police or animal control to report there was a deceased dog and another gravely injured dog that required medical care.

There were a lot of inconsistencies with this neighbor's self-defense story, and Douglas' bullet holes were key in proving those inconsistencies, but the Wells County Sheriff Department refused to investigate this matter. I was forced to take our story to social media and filed a civil suit in small claims.

This neighbor hired an attorney for what was supposed to have been a very informal, relaxed small claims proceeding. Well, it wasn’t. I was railroaded, and his attorney took advantage of the fact that I didn’t know the law or how to be an attorney in a courtroom. I was prepared to present 50 pieces of evidence, including 42 photographs that would prove the cruelty and that this man shot our dogs without justification, but his attorney objected to everything.

I wasn’t allowed to ask questions regarding the mysterious misplacing of Douglas' tags.

Indiana Code Title 35. Criminal Law and Procedure 35-46-3-12

A person who knowingly or intentionally kills a domestic animal without the consent of the owner of the domestic animal commits killing a domestic animal, a Level 6 felony.

I was warned by so many not to walk into that courtroom without an attorney, but I trusted the system would take one look at the pictures of Douglas' brutal and violent final moments and they would see the malicious intentions. But I was wrong.

I will be filing an appeal and will be retaining a criminal defense attorney. This fight is not for me or about me. This fight is for Douglas, Tilly, and every animal that has suffered in the hands of evil. I want to use our story for legislators to change the animal laws in Indiana. Truth is, animal laws have to change everywhere. I have written hundreds of letters to different agencies sharing our story, and they all refer me back to Indiana legislators. This legal battle is important to our call for change in animal cruelty laws, and this is why I have to stay in the ring even if I get knocked down multiple times along the way.