Pasco sheriff: Man shot neighbor's dog in front of children
PASCO COUNTY (FOX 13) - One Pasco County family counts their blessings.
Their dog named Brisco is alive after a neighbor shot him numerous times.
This happened as their own children were playing feet away from the dog. That neighbor was arrested for animal cruelty.
Pasco deputies say he had no reason to shoot the dog. Brisco is now healing and his family is still trying to process why this happened to him.
For nine years, Brisco has been a member of Stacie Childs' family.
“He's loving. He sleeps with my girls every night, he plays with our potbellied pig," she said.
He now walks with a limp. And mixed in with his gray and white coat, Brisco carries the scars of a traumatic night.
“He's just in a lot of pain and so are we. It's a miracle, he's even alive,” Stacie said.
Brisco was shot more than 10 times. Pasco deputies say their neighbor, Terry Parrish pulled the trigger.
Deputies say Briscoe had wandered in Parrish’s yard. Instead of shooing him off or even calling for neighbors to come get him, the police reports says Parrish went inside, got a gun, and started shooting.
All of this unfolded feet away from Stacie's children.
“The neighbors heard them screaming so they came running outside to see what was wrong," Stacie said.
They found Brisco with multiple gunshot wounds.
“He was bleeding to death. He was in the middle of the road, shaking and bleeding,” she said.
Deputies arrested Parrish for animal cruelty.
“This gentleman went back into his house he had the chance to dial 911, he had the chance to call his neighbors and say, ‘Hey, get your dog.’ He did none of that. He took the law into his own hands and shot this dog multiple times without any reason,” said Kevin Doll with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.
Against all odds, Brisco survived. But it'll take time for him and Stacie's family to heal together.
“It was wrong what he did. My kids were outside. He's taken everything from our kids. They're scared to go out and play now," she said.