BROOKSVILLE — The morning of Sept. 5 was like any other day for the Mills-Dunn family until tragedy struck.
Stephanie Mills-Dunn stood at her kitchen window, making breakfast. She had a good view of the yard where the family’s dog was tied to get some exercise and do his business.
“Z”, a 2-year-old husky, was an indoor pet. He joined the Dunn family as an 8-week-old, and only went outside under the supervision of his people or when tied outside for short potty breaks, family members said.
While Mills-Dunn glanced out the window, she saw Z snap his line and take off. Dunn was quick and followed him. She grabbed her 21-year-old son and headed out the door to retrieve the energetic dog, whom she describes as “the happiest creature you’ll ever meet.”
Mills-Dunn drove about a half mile up the road to a friend’s home, thinking Z might have run that way. He wasn’t there, so the mother-son duo turned around and headed back towards their house.
Approximately 15 minutes after his escape and less than a half mile from their home on Old Oakland Road, they found Z on their neighbor’s driveway.
“Abraham Johnson was standing over Z’s body, holding his cable in his hand which was still attached to Zs collar which was still on Z. And the trunk was open on his car,” Mills-Dunn said.
Upon finding her pet shot in the neck, Mills-Dunn broke down and cried. She also asked Johnson why he shot her dog. Mills-Dunn said Johnson blamed her dog for killing his mother’s chickens weeks earlier. When Mills-Dunn asked if Z had done anything to Johnson’s pets to warrant the shooting, Johnson replied, “No, ma’am.”
Mills-Dunn said Johnson was preparing to dispose of her dog’s body.
“If we hadn’t driven by when we had, we never would have known what happened to Z,” she said.
Mills-Dunn reached out to the State Police who forwarded the call to the Bracken County Sheriff’s Office. To her knowledge, no personnel was dispatched to the scene. Instead, Bracken County Deputy James Shields called all parties involved and communicated with them by telephone.
Shields wrote in the report that he spoke first with Susan Johnson, Abraham Johnson’s mother. According to the report, she said she had 10 chickens killed at her home on Old Oakland Road by the dog and that it was an ongoing problem. Susan Johnson also said that she had tried to locate the owner but was unsuccessful. Another statement in the report by the mother was that her brother had been threatened by a male who showed up to recover the dog and that her family was threatened as well.
Later when asked, Susan Johnson said she had seen the Siberian huskey on her property three to four times in a few months.
“He was a Siberian husky and yes, he was a gorgeous dog. I knew it was him because he was the only one around,” she said.
Susan Johnson said her own dogs had left her property in the past, pointing to a pair of St. Bernards she owned that got loose and were gone for days.
“I’m a dog lover, we have had dogs that got away. They went so far, ending up near Cynthiana. We won’t have dogs that wander and we took them to the pound,” she said.
After the chickens were killed, Susan Johnson said that her older daughter, Mary Ellen, tried to locate the husky’s owners, but couldn’t find them.
“I think it’s appropriate that my son shot him. I feel awful for the owners but I can’t comprehend if it had been my granddaughter,” she said.
Abraham Johnson agreed.
“The fact that it killed the chickens and had been on my property, I thought it was the best course of action at the time,” he said.
According to Abraham Johnson, his daughter saw a dog in the yard at 8 a.m. His sister told him it was the same husky that killed her chickens. Abraham added that he’d seen the dog three times before.
Abraham Johnson verified that Z did not chase or attack any of his pets while the dog was on his property.
“I shot the dog behind my house and brought him to the road to dispose of the body, but it wasn’t very smart,” Johnson said.
He declined to say where he planned to take the body.
Abraham Johnson also said, “Yeah, if my dog is off my property, my neighbor can shoot my dog. I know it sucks, but my dog is my responsibility. I wouldn’t threaten his wife or kids for doing it.”
Mills-Dunn disputed Susan and Abraham Johnson’s statements.
“We never picked him up from her property or heard of him being on her property. No threats were made toward his family. My family was all crying and distraught and yes, we were yelling but mainly it was just, why, why, how could you do this to him?” she said.
The picture Mills-Dunn posted on Facebook of Z after he died and was still lying on Johnson’s driveway shows he was wearing a collar and that the 20-foot cable was still attached to the collar.
Bracken County Sheriff Howard Niemeier said a dog must be in the act of chasing or attacking livestock, pets or a person in order for the property owner to shoot it.
If a loose dog becomes a recurring problem, Niemeier said, we try to make contact with the owner and give them a warning. If it continues, because of our county ordinance, we could charge them.”
Niemeier advises people, “to get the dog on camera but not to shoot it.”
Mills-Dunn said Z was a friendly dog, who loved everyone, and that she knew of no time when he had hurt another animal and that no incidents regarding Z were ever reported to anyone in her family.
Mills-Dunn told Shields, “She believed her dog was murdered for no reason and was shot in the neck area,” the report indicates.
Shields advised Mills-Dunn that he would file a report and referred her to the county attorney.
The entire family is mourning the loss of Z, Mills-Dunn said.
“My 14-year-old daughter is really grieving. School started last week and Z always jumps into the car and drives to school with us. He goes when we pick her up. He loved to ride in the car and my daughter loved seeing him when she got out of school.”
Like most huskies, Z didn’t bark like other dogs. He would make little yipping noises and excitedly “talk” to everyone he greeted.
“My husband is a wreck. Z was his best friend and now he’s gone,” Mills-Dunn said. She wants justice for Z and to save other dogs in the future from the same fate.
No charges have been filed in connection with the case, according to information available at presstime.
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