Never Forget Shiloh
On August 6th, 2024, my dog Shiloh was unalived with a bullet to her skull by my neighbor in Central Lake, Mi. Now I know it was my mistake she got out that day, but the events to follow were a disappointment of the judicial system who allowed felony animal cruelty and the lack of professionalism by those not performing proper procedure following.
I arrived home from work in the afternoon. I let Shiloh, Morello, U-Turn and Arlo with me in the front lawn where we played and I then began unloading donation boxes. These particular dogs were not known to run away and this is an activity we did frequently. While I was taking boxes inside, the other 3 dogs followed me, but not Shiloh. She was left by a pine tree in my yard exploring. I had let the remainder sanctuary dogs out at the time. As I was in the house, I saw a grey Subaru pull into the drive and then leave. My heart sank because I knew then, something happened with Shiloh. I started kenneling the dogs so I could take out after her.
I decided to drive left from my driveway instead of right for what reason I don’t know. Had I went right, I can’t help but think I could have stopped what was coming. I knew the car and I drove right to their home. While driving the female resident there was messaging me through SCMR page asking if I had lost a dog; I answered her, “yes,” but before she could respond, I was at her home.
I saw then 4 ducks on the ground that I knew Shiloh must have done it. I know it is wrong and Michigan law says Livestock owners can shoot a dog to protect them, but Shiloh wasn’t there. I offered to compensate for the damages and her response was, “it’s alright, we have NEVER had problem with your dogs.” I have dog sledded past this home with my golf cart for 3 years, they knew where I lived.
I had hoped then she had just run off, but then he arrived home in his side by side. Shiloh was in the back and was dead. She was still warm and had a slight amount of blood coming from her ears. Nothing else on her body, no road rash, no deformities, nothing. He said she had been hit by a car. I demanded to know where she was hit and he stated, “at the yellow house up the road.” I also said my apologies, offered to pay for damages or provide replacements from my flock which was all declined.
I picked Shiloh up and placed her in my truck. When I arrived home, I recalled a fellow nurse who lived two houses down from him tell me to be cautious of him as he threatened her goldendoodles before. I moved the fur away from her neck and found the bullet hole. HE LIED. I drove back over immediately and confronted him. He then changed his story stating she had a broken back and he had the right to end her suffering. I said, “no, you didn’t. It was my call to make.” His reponse, “what did you think was going to happen, look at my flock.”
I knew what he did wasn’t right, and I drove her body to the Central Lake police station to inquire. Since I lived outside the city limits, they called Antrim county police. A sheriff deputy arrived and then contacted animal control to determine the law. He can shoot her on his property, but he cannot chase her down and kill her. The county ordered a necropsy and I drove her to Traverse City.
I arrived around 8pm at the vet clinic with Shiloh who was now in rigor mortis. The vet was hard to get a hold off that was on-call to perform a necropsy. I left after the clinic finally reached her and they stated I would have a report that night.
Around 0430 I did not have a report so I called. The vet told me Shiloh’s spinal cord was severed from the bullet making death instantaneous. I asked if she had been hit by a car and she reported that she had not been told that claim. (after the incident I called the ACO and Sheriff deputy who both informed me they told the vet office the story). The vet clinic in my opinion seemed to think we needed bullet retrieval which we did not because he admitted her shot her and was arrested that night for animal cruelty.
Based on the necropsy they removed Shiloh from a bent position in the freezer to perform spinal x-rays. The cervical x-rays had already been taken earlier. Now we have inconclusive data of subcutaneous emphysema and a L1 subluxation. Vet stated she could not determine cause, because Shi had been deceased now for over 12 hours and in a freezer that could have contributed. She also noted no external evidence of being hit by a car.
I had Shiloh cremated following day.
Then we played a game of the prosecutor couldn’t reach the clinic to speak with the veterinarian to review the necropsy. When they finally connected, he wanted her to say 100% Shiloh wasn’t hit by a car because the jury would have empathy for the man for killing her and he wouldn’t pursue. Based on the later report of the x-rays, she said she couldn’t. She’d have needed an MRI to prove that. I’d have driven her to MSU had I known that was needed, but I was never informed.
Then I began to ponder, why to we have to prove this? He committed felony animal murder? Even if Shi was hit, he could have done it. He lied already to protect himself, why not again?
Shiloh was 8 years old. She had a life to live. Based on the FOIA, he claimed he had no idea where she lived. Must be other dog sled teams I don’t known of in the area.
Before I left to take Shiloh to TC to the vet, I messaged the woman and stated, “she wan’t hit, she was shot.” Her response, “she was hit, but blank was mad. I’m sorry, she didn’t deserve that.”
SHILOH WAS LET DOWN BY EVERYONE FOLLOWING HER DEATH…..EVERYONE
I arrived home from work in the afternoon. I let Shiloh, Morello, U-Turn and Arlo with me in the front lawn where we played and I then began unloading donation boxes. These particular dogs were not known to run away and this is an activity we did frequently. While I was taking boxes inside, the other 3 dogs followed me, but not Shiloh. She was left by a pine tree in my yard exploring. I had let the remainder sanctuary dogs out at the time. As I was in the house, I saw a grey Subaru pull into the drive and then leave. My heart sank because I knew then, something happened with Shiloh. I started kenneling the dogs so I could take out after her.
I decided to drive left from my driveway instead of right for what reason I don’t know. Had I went right, I can’t help but think I could have stopped what was coming. I knew the car and I drove right to their home. While driving the female resident there was messaging me through SCMR page asking if I had lost a dog; I answered her, “yes,” but before she could respond, I was at her home.
I saw then 4 ducks on the ground that I knew Shiloh must have done it. I know it is wrong and Michigan law says Livestock owners can shoot a dog to protect them, but Shiloh wasn’t there. I offered to compensate for the damages and her response was, “it’s alright, we have NEVER had problem with your dogs.” I have dog sledded past this home with my golf cart for 3 years, they knew where I lived.
I had hoped then she had just run off, but then he arrived home in his side by side. Shiloh was in the back and was dead. She was still warm and had a slight amount of blood coming from her ears. Nothing else on her body, no road rash, no deformities, nothing. He said she had been hit by a car. I demanded to know where she was hit and he stated, “at the yellow house up the road.” I also said my apologies, offered to pay for damages or provide replacements from my flock which was all declined.
I picked Shiloh up and placed her in my truck. When I arrived home, I recalled a fellow nurse who lived two houses down from him tell me to be cautious of him as he threatened her goldendoodles before. I moved the fur away from her neck and found the bullet hole. HE LIED. I drove back over immediately and confronted him. He then changed his story stating she had a broken back and he had the right to end her suffering. I said, “no, you didn’t. It was my call to make.” His reponse, “what did you think was going to happen, look at my flock.”
I knew what he did wasn’t right, and I drove her body to the Central Lake police station to inquire. Since I lived outside the city limits, they called Antrim county police. A sheriff deputy arrived and then contacted animal control to determine the law. He can shoot her on his property, but he cannot chase her down and kill her. The county ordered a necropsy and I drove her to Traverse City.
I arrived around 8pm at the vet clinic with Shiloh who was now in rigor mortis. The vet was hard to get a hold off that was on-call to perform a necropsy. I left after the clinic finally reached her and they stated I would have a report that night.
Around 0430 I did not have a report so I called. The vet told me Shiloh’s spinal cord was severed from the bullet making death instantaneous. I asked if she had been hit by a car and she reported that she had not been told that claim. (after the incident I called the ACO and Sheriff deputy who both informed me they told the vet office the story). The vet clinic in my opinion seemed to think we needed bullet retrieval which we did not because he admitted her shot her and was arrested that night for animal cruelty.
Based on the necropsy they removed Shiloh from a bent position in the freezer to perform spinal x-rays. The cervical x-rays had already been taken earlier. Now we have inconclusive data of subcutaneous emphysema and a L1 subluxation. Vet stated she could not determine cause, because Shi had been deceased now for over 12 hours and in a freezer that could have contributed. She also noted no external evidence of being hit by a car.
I had Shiloh cremated following day.
Then we played a game of the prosecutor couldn’t reach the clinic to speak with the veterinarian to review the necropsy. When they finally connected, he wanted her to say 100% Shiloh wasn’t hit by a car because the jury would have empathy for the man for killing her and he wouldn’t pursue. Based on the later report of the x-rays, she said she couldn’t. She’d have needed an MRI to prove that. I’d have driven her to MSU had I known that was needed, but I was never informed.
Then I began to ponder, why to we have to prove this? He committed felony animal murder? Even if Shi was hit, he could have done it. He lied already to protect himself, why not again?
Shiloh was 8 years old. She had a life to live. Based on the FOIA, he claimed he had no idea where she lived. Must be other dog sled teams I don’t known of in the area.
Before I left to take Shiloh to TC to the vet, I messaged the woman and stated, “she wan’t hit, she was shot.” Her response, “she was hit, but blank was mad. I’m sorry, she didn’t deserve that.”
SHILOH WAS LET DOWN BY EVERYONE FOLLOWING HER DEATH…..EVERYONE