Authorities in Northern California have arrested two property owners in connection with the death of four puppies, as they are accused of hiring someone to kill their tenant’s dogs.
On October 3, deputies from the Shasta County sheriff’s office discovered a five-month-old German Shepherd dog deceased from what appeared to be gunshot wounds, discarded on the outskirts of Redding, close to Old Oregon Trail and Enterprise Dump Road.
Authorities started looking into the situation and discovered that the puppies were owned by a resident in the 8000 block of Airport Road. A recent news release indicates that this individual was incarcerated not long ago.
According to the release, the property owners of that residence stated they sought assistance from a neighbor to eliminate the dogs because they “did not wish to care for them.”
A 24-year-old man from Redding has confessed to shooting the puppies and assisting in their disposal, according to deputies.
On Friday, authorities took into custody the property owners along with the suspected shooter.
A 24-year-old man is charged with felony animal cruelty, a misdemeanor for disposing of an animal carcass near a roadway, and a felony conspiracy charge, according to police. He is currently in custody at Shasta County Jail with a bail set at $25,000, as per jail records.
A 55-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman from Redding are facing conspiracy charges, according to police. As of Monday, both individuals have been released from jail.