A fired East Texas sheriff's deputy has pleaded not guilty to an animal cruelty charge in the shooting of a farm dog that later had to be euthanized.
KLTV-TV of Tyler reports an attorney for Jerrod Dooley entered the plea Wednesday.
Rains County Sheriff David Traylor fired Dooley, saying the rookie deputy used bad judgment during the April 18 burglary call near Point, about 50 miles east of Dallas.
The sheriff's office and Dooley received numerous threats after shooting the blue heeler named Candy.
Dooley said the dog charged at him before he opened fire. His attorney, Pete Schulte of Dallas, says a necropsy shows the bullet Dooley fired wasn't fatal and that the dog might have survived had its owner not drowned it to euthanize it.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
