Man Found Not Guilty In Cruelty To Animals Case
BEAVER, Pa. (KDKA) -- A man charged with shooting two dogs in the head and leaving them to die in a Beaver County park last year has been found not guilty on two counts of cruelty to animals.
The judge issued his ruling in the non-jury trial on Tuesday.
Steven Cable Jr., 19, was accused of shooting two older Labrador retrievers in the head and leaving them to die at Brady's Run Park in Beaver Falls back in November.
The owner testified that she paid $100 so Cable could humanely euthanize her dogs, which were found by public works employees.
Cable's attorney says his client should have never been charged.
Defense attorney Blaine Jones says Cable expressed to the owner's sister that he was going to euthanize each dog with a single gunshot wound to the head.
Under Pennsylvania law, an owner of a dog can euthanize using a firearm. So Jones says Cable was well within the law and did nothing illegal.
Jones says the sister never told the owner of the dogs how Cable was going to euthanize them.
"It was a very legal case in that Steven was asked to euthanize the dogs, and he said I can do it a certain way and it will be quick and humane. He expressed that to them," said Jones. "The problem is the person he expressed that to didn't express it to the family member. Steven didn't know that."
Jones says police should have done a more thorough investigation.
As far as where the dogs were found, Jones says that was found immaterial in this case.
Cable can now go home free and clear of any charges.
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