Henry County urges responsible pet ownership after fatal shooting of family’s dog

HENRY COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) - A Henry County grand jury has chosen not to indict a man on felony animal cruelty charges.

A joint statement released by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office and Commonwealth Attorney’s Office aims to provide more clarity surrounding the shooting of two German Shepherd pets in Bassett in December of 2020.

No charges were filed against the man who shot the dogs, killing one of them. This led to an uproar from the community on social media.

The statement reads in part:

The closing paragraphs of the statement remind pet owners of the local ordinance “leash law,” asking citizens to take the necessary precautions to keep their pets under their control.

Henry County Media Release 1-20-2022 by Pat Thomas on Scribd