Our Beloved Sweet Dog, Bella..Shot and Killed by Cabarrus County Animal Control On April 29, 2010 between 6:30 and 7:00 p.m. our beloved family companion Bella, an ambassador to our breed, American Pt Bull Terrier was mercilessly shot and killed by Cabarrus County, NC Animal Control. 

Bella had gotten out of the fence and was 2 streets over. The officer used excessive measures toward Bella who he admittedly had shown no signs of aggression. Witnesses say that Bella was shot in the back side, she "screamed" and continue to try and run, then she fell. 

The Animal Control Officer went and got the truck and placed her in a crate, and put her in the back of the truck with our other dog who was alive and well. 

 The animal control officer, simply could not catch her. He was on the scene 20 minutes. We contacted animal control immediately after finding out that our dogs had gotten loose and that Bella had been shot and killed.

 The office was closed. We called and spoke with Animal Control when they opened the following morning at 8:00 a.m. We were told to come at noon.

 The officer that shot her showed zero remorse, compassion, respect, or humanity.

 We asked the officer: “Did she show any signs of aggression towards you or the other officers at anytime during this 20 minutes?" 

The officer replied: "no, she did not" 

we asked: "then why did you shoot and kill her? 

Animal Control officer replied: "what do you want me to do, stay there for 3 hours? I have other calls to get too!" “I'm not going to leave a Pit Bull running around a neighborhood.” 

Seriously???

 Two neighborhood teenagers told the officers that they knew the owners and would contact them. This information was ignored. Another neighbor offered to get a leash and collar and put it on our other dog Jaxson in hopes that Bella would come to him. That suggestion was discarded.

 Bella was afraid and was trying to get away. The officer discharged a firearm in our neighborhood in presence of neighbors and children, but was not certified in the use of tranquilizer gun. He is “still in training.” 

When we asked the officer about Bella's body, we were told that: “she has already been destroyed.” We asked: “by herself?”, Officer replied, “no with 3 other dogs.” Bella didn't have to die. Bella also had a microchip with all of our information. We were never contacted by Animal Control, we had to contact them. A firearm was used in our neighborhood. There is not a police report anywhere stating these events. The only report out is from the Animal Control office that states that they seized our two dogs. Bella was a sweet, loving dog to familiar faces and strangers. We will miss her terribly and will do everything in our power to make sure Bella's murder will trigger action for change for better ethical practices of Animal Control Officers and to get justice for our sweet Bella girl. Our dog did not have to die and definitely didn't need to die this way! Make no mistake, Our Bella was killed and gunned down because she was a Pit Bull. Visit YouTube and view Bella and Jaxson with children in a park they had never seen before.