A 1-year-old Goldendoodle is in critical condition and undergoing extensive surgery after he was shot by a man who said the dog showed “extreme aggression” – a story neighbors of the Brevard County community who know the pup dispute.
Maui, the dog who lives at an apartment complex on Shadow Creek Trail in Viera, a city about 17 miles southeast of Cape Canaveral, was shot on Nov. 30 by a neighbor, according to an incident report by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office obtained by NBC affiliate WESH.
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WESH reports that witnesses said the shooting happened when Maui’s owners were walking him back from the Town Center Dog Park. They say Maui slipped from his leash and approached another dog, and then that dog’s owner opened fire.
The sheriff’s office said both dog owners received citations, but no arrests have been made.
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In an online post, Maui's loved ones said he underwent extensive medical care, including critical surgery to reconstruct his trachea. He is still on oxygen and has blood in his lungs.
Neighbors are at a loss over the shooting and the lack of charges.
"[The dog] didn't deserve a death penalty. You know, it didn't deserve to be shot like that," Donnie Rouse said. “This is family. We have a lot of kids out here. We have the dog park behind us.”
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In a statement, the man who shot Maui said in part, "I was walking my dog, Free, my Golden Retriever, south along Rodina Drive around 8 pm when I spotted a barking dog with extreme aggression running towards us from across the street at full speed from the Town Center Dog Park. When the dog tried to attack Free, I got between both of them. I told the owner to secure her dog, but she would not. In fact, she was afraid of her dog, and then I became afraid. She would not grab her dog. When the dog could not attack Free, I then became its target. Before I go further, let me say that the level of aggression in this dog, as it was roaming unbounded, indicated that I was infringing on its territory.
"I withdrew my weapon, anticipating a direct attack on myself. When the dog leaped towards me, about 1 foot from my person, I fired a single shot centered at its neckline as I was stepping backward to remove my body from its mouth. How could I have shot a dog at this angle if it didn’t jump at me, given the height difference? It was a textbook shot against an attacking animal."
Neighbors Stephanie Avon and Angella Decker are not convinced.
"[Maui’s] always around. We always see him. He's just the friendliest dog. He wouldn't hurt a fly, and he's part of that family. Like, I don't understand how they can do something like that and get away with it," Avon said.
The sheriff's office said Maui's owners received a citation for him being off a leash. The other dog's owners were cited for its county tags.
"I hope some justice is served, and I hope our community can feel safe to walk with our dogs," said Decker.
The investigation continues.
