Germany: Hobby Hunter Commits Dog Murder and Is Convicted

A hobby hunter from the Vogtland region must pay around 1’500 euros in fines for killing an escaped dog. The district court in Auerbach convicted the 63-year-old on Wednesday on concurrent charges of unlawful killing of an animal, animal cruelty, and a regulatory offense.

To this day, Peter Irion (59) feels a pang in his heart when he thinks about the death of his dog Meddox. “We actually wanted a different one, but he came over and placed his paw on my shoulder,” recalls the self-employed promoter. It was love at first sight. “I was very attached to him – he was sweet and easy to care for, let anyone pet him, and obeyed every word,” he says.

Flashback: A Shot in the Forest

On 27 September 2016, the normally obedient male dog broke out of the property and ran into the forest. Along a hiking trail, he encountered several off-leash dogs out walking with their owner and romped around with the other dogs on an adjacent meadow. “Then suddenly a shot rang out,” is how Peter Irion describes the woman’s account. Five days later, forestry workers found the dead animal in the woods. It was determined that a bullet had passed through the dog’s hip. Meddox had lost a great deal of blood and had apparently also received a blow to the skull.

The Verdict

The testimony of a witness had contributed to the hobby hunter falling under suspicion, so that as early as September 2017 a fine of 2’000 euros was imposed on him for violating the Animal Welfare Act. Because he disagreed with this, he lodged an objection.

The judge, however, was convinced that the hobby hunter had shot the mixed-breed dog “Meddox” two years earlier in front of his red deer enclosure in Kottengrün. The judge fined the hobby hunter 80 daily rates of 19 euros each.

Other witnesses also testified that the defendant had already aimed his rifle at people. The verdict is not yet final. More on Crime and hobby hunting.