EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah, June 18, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A reward is being offered in connection with the shooting death of a little girl’s dog in Eagle Mountain.
The $5,000 reward is being offered by the Humane Society of Utah for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
“On Saturday, June 13, 2020, a 4-year-old miniature Doberman pinscher named Lucky was shot to death near his family’s home on Ute Drive in Eagle Mountain, Utah,” a statement from the Humane Society says.
“The Utah Humane Society is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for Lucky’s untimely death. Utah Humane Society’s advocacy director, Rachel Heatley, expressed concern for the impact of the prevalence of these shootings on the community.
“As a local nonprofit animal welfare organization, the Utah Humane Society hopes the reward assists the Utah County Sheriff’s Department in obtaining information required to identify and charge whoever is responsible for this heinous act of animal cruelty.”
It’s not the first such shooting, the statement notes.
“For at least the fourth time in two years, a dog was shot in Eagle Mountain,” Heatley said in the prepared statement. “While there is no indication that these shootings are directly related, the loose relationship between the shootings appears to be a lack of empathy for these innocent animals and the humans that love them. An individual without empathy should alarm the community, as a lack of empathy leads to violence.”
Studies show that violence against humans and violence against animals are interrelated, the statement said, noting violence against animals often leads to another.
“The tragedy of a dog being shot is not only in the loss of the dog but also in the societal harm of a dangerous person walking our streets,” Heatley said.
Lucky, shot on Ute Drive, was the pet of a 4-year-old girl. Her father saw two men in the cul-de-sac, but rather than chase them, he raced the dog to the vet. Lucky could not be saved.
“Animals are property under Utah law, but in the hearts and minds of their guardians, animals are family,” the Humane Society statement said.
Anyone interested in learning more about how to advocate for animals is invited to visit a page of the non-profit’s website, www.UtahHumane.org/Advocacy.
Anyone with information regarding who may have shot Lucky is urged to contact Detective Dallin Turner with the Utah County Sheriff’s Department at 801-851-4023.
