More charges have been filed against a Bedford County man who authorities say shot a neighbor’s dog in front of children — and the dog’s owner faces her own charges. It surrounds an incident earlier this month in Goodview when a man told sheriff’s deputies he shot the dog after it bit his grandson. 60-year-old Fred Dooley was charged at the time with reckless handling of a firearm, and now, he faces an animal cruelty count. The sheriff’s office says Natasha Simpson is charged with failure to vaccinate for rabies and failure to register the dog.
From the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office: On Wednesday evening July 19 at 8:20 p.m., Bedford County 911 dispatchers received a call to Oak Park Drive in Goodview. The caller reported that a man had just shot a dog in front of children. While Bedford County Sheriff’s deputies were responding, dispatchers received a call from Fred Dooley. Dooley advised dispatchers that a neighbor’s dog had bitten his grandson and he was requesting an ambulance. After arriving on the scene deputies observed injuries consistent with a dog bite on the child’s leg. Dooley advised the deputy that after the dog had attacked his grandson, he retrieved his handgun from inside his home. He then walked down the road, located the dog and shot it twice. The child was transported to the hospital by ambulance.
The deputy also spoke with several witnesses and determined that there were several children playing in the area when Dooley shot the dog. The deputy arrested Fred Dooley, age 60, and charged him with Reckless Handling of a Firearm. He was transported to the Bedford Adult Detention Center. He was released on bond.
Bedford County Sheriff’s Animal Control deputies are following up with the dog’s owner.
