ISHPEMING, MI-- An Ishpeming family dog has been shot and killed by a man thinking it was a coyote.
City Police say the shooting happened last Sunday around 6:40 p.m. on Cliffs Drive near the entrance to Suicide Hill.
A man and woman were walking their purebred Weimaraner, which was wearing a yellow reflective vest and orange collar, when the dog was shot about ten yards ahead of them. The dog was not on a leash.
The suspect—a 62-year-old Ishpeming man—said he thought the dog was a coyote. He claimed he didn’t see the vest or collar because of low light conditions.
He was arrested and will be charged with careless discharge of a firearm-property damage over $50—punishable by up to a year in jail or a $500 fine. Arraignment is set for January 21.
Police say the shooting happened in a wooded area within the city limits. An ordinance in place bars any type of hunting within the city.
