Two gentle and loved Bernese Mountain dogs belonging to the Chester Springs' Bock family are dead, but the neighbor who allegedly shot their dogs will not be charged. On Thursday, the West Vincent Township Police and the District Attorney's Office announced their decision not to pursue any charges because of a Pennsylvania law protecting the neighbor who shot the dogs.
On Feb. 12, Argus, two-years-old and Fiona, the one-year-old purebred, good natured dogs, escaped from their yard for the first time because of a break in the fencing. Within ten minutes the Bock family was already in pursuit of the dogs and had even passed by their neighbor's home looking for the two where the dogs somehow wound up and ultimately died in the yard of Gabriel Pilotti.
Pilotti's yard was full of sheep, and the dogs were supposedly chasing the sheep around. Pilotti fearing his sheep were in danger allegedly shot both dogs.
The Pennsylvania law states a person can kill a dog if the dog is caught in the act of pursuing a domesticated animal; in this case sheep.
According to nbc philadelphia.com, Bock confronted his neighbor and asked him why he shot the dogs. Bock answered, " I shoot first."
A Facebook page has been created and is called Justice for Argus and Fiona.
"Just wanted to clear a few things up here and let people know why we are exposing this story in this way: We are not the type of people that are 100% comfortable with this type of attention, however if something good can come from this awful tragedy it will be well worth it and it will give our dogs short life a purpose. To us this is a question of humanity," stated Mary Bleignier Bock on the page where over 1500 people have already joined.
It seems there are many unanswered questions including but not limited to how the two dogs wound up in Pilotti's yard with such a high fence.
The ultimate purpose, however for this family who had to explain to their young children that Argus and Fiona will never come home, is to amend this antiquated farm law and do more to protect animals and humans.
Rest in peace Argus and Fiona.
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