House arrest for Pa. man who shot neighbor's dogs

WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — A suburban Philadelphia man has been sentenced to house arrest for shooting two of his neighbors’ dogs in February.

A Chester County jury in September found 73-year-old Gabriel Pilotti guilty of two counts of animal cruelty for killing the Bernese mountain dogs — 2-year-old Angus and 1-year-old Fiona — after they escaped the yard of their owners, Mary and William Bock.

Today, a judge sentenced Pilotti to 90 days of home confinement, 200 hours of community service, and $2,600 in fines and restitution. He could have faced up to five years in prison.

Pilotti claimed he feared the dogs would hurt his sheep. He apologized in court.

Prosecutors said Pilotti shot Angus in the head as the dog trotted toward him and shot Fiona as she ran away.