Canyon Country man charged with animal cruelty for shooting death of dog

Canyon Country man charged with animal cruelty for shooting death of dog

by Nathaniel Percy

A Canyon Country man who allegedly shot his dog to death before going missing pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty charges in San Fernando Superior Court on Friday, Aug. 9, authorities said.

Christopher Ray Nard, 57, faces one felony count each of cruelty to an animal with a personal use of a gun and discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said.

He faces a possible maximum sentence of 13 years in prison if convicted as charged, prosecutors said.

Nard was accused of shooting his 9-year-old German Shepherd, Shiloh, to death with a rifle on July 9, Deputy District Attorney Bradley Lieberman said.

He was reported missing later that week by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and was characterized as “severely depressed.”

But Nard was located two days later and arrested by Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s deputies, July 11, according to jail records. He was released the following day after posting bond.

Why Nard shot the dog was not known.

City News Service contributed to this report.

All credit goes to Nathaniel Percy
Originally published on https://www.dailynews.com