Pa. man goes to trial on charges he shot, dragged dog

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A western Pennsylvania man has been ordered to stand trial on charges he fatally shot his dog, then dragged the animal’s carcass behind his wheelchair before abandoning it on a street.

Police say 59-year-old Larry Stonebrook told them he shot the 9-month-old boxer puppy because it was tearing up his house and biting him.

Police found the carcass Aug. 3 and followed a trail of blood to Stonebrook’s housing project.

Police say Stonebrook shot the dog with a 16-gauge pump shotgun. Stonebrook told police he intended to bury the dog, but instead left it along a street after dragging it several blocks. Stonebrook uses a wheelchair because he has only one leg.

He had pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty and other charges at Thursday’s preliminary hearing.