An Uxbridge family is asking for answers after they found out the farmer who allegedly shot their two pet dogs was legally allowed to do so.
Casey and Sunny, two Golden retrievers, were shot to death when they ran onto a farmer's property. Their owners, the Jenkins family, had not seen the dogs since they ran away from home Thursday.
However, they got the news Saturday morning their pets were killed from an animal control officer. The officer would not identify the farmer to the family but advised them he acted within his legal rights.
Under the livestock act, a farmer can shoot a dog if it's running loose and attacking or viciously pursuing other animals.
The Jenkins family said they find it hard to believe their animals were acting vicious at all, saying they wouldn't hurt a fly.
"A Golden retriever is a far cry from a coyote or a groundhog," said John Jenkins, the dogs' owner. "These are family pets, this impacts people's lives."
His daughter Allison said she doesn't understand how this could happen.
"I'm confused because I don't understand why someone would just shoot them," said the young girl.
Jenkins' wife Helen said the farmer should have called animal control before he shot her pets, not after.
"Why couldn't he call animal control and say 'there's two dogs running around -- come get them.'"
Now, the family is demanding answers. They want to know the identity of the farmer and are looking into whether or not the farmer was even allowed to own a gun.
"How can you shoot two dogs that are visibly family pets?" Helen Jenkins said. "Our kids are devastated."
With a report from CTV's John Musselman
