A 70-year-old man, Robert Anthony Harley, has been charged with animal cruelty in connection with the fatal shooting of his neighbor’s dog, Maisie, a Belgian Malinois. Authorities are investigating the incident, which occurred after Harley allegedly mistook the 11-month-old puppy for a coyote.
Harley faces two misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty, with a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. As of now, Harley has not retained an attorney, and it’s unclear if he has been formally served with the charges.
According to charging documents, Harley told investigators he believed the animal to be a coyote and felt the need to protect his family. However, detectives have confirmed that the dog was not aggressive at the time of the shooting.
The incident unfolded after Maisie slipped out of her home on Easter Sunday. Her owner, Shannon Smith-Wood, launched an extensive search, including hiring drone pilots to scan the area. During the search, a video surfaced showing a man — later identified as Harley’s son — recording a coyote sighting near the area. The video went viral when shared by Smith-Wood, who later learned the animal shot was her dog.
Smith-Wood has expressed a desire to move beyond vengeance, emphasizing that the focus should be on preventing similar incidents in the future. “This isn’t about revenge. This is about: Don’t let this ever happen again. People, pay attention,” she stated.
While hunting coyotes is legal in Maryland year-round for licensed individuals, Harley lacked both the necessary hunting license and furbearer permit. He also shot Maisie on county land, where hunting regulations remain unclear.
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