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St. Clairsville Man Defends Dog Shooting

A local man is defending his alleged choice to shoot and kill two dogs earlier this month.

Michael Chedester of St. Clairsville was charged on Nov. 30 with two counts of knowingly causing serious physical harm to a companion animal. The charges are fifth-degree felonies under the new Goddard’s Law enacted in May, which brings animal cruelty charges up from misdemeanor offenses as they were previously classified.

Chedester allegedly shot and killed two dogs belonging to Pete Byers while in a tree stand hunting for deer. When confronted, Chedester allegedly admitted to killing the dogs after questioning by Belmont County sheriff’s deputies. Chedester could face six months to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine if convicted, and he was also terminated from his job at American Electric Power Ohio.

Chedester petitioned Belmont County Eastern Division Court Thursday, saying that under Ohio law, he had the right to kill animals on his property if they were disturbing the deer during his hunting.

According to Ohio Revised Code, “a dog that is chasing or approaching in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack, that attempts to bite or otherwise endanger, or that kills or injures a person or a dog that chases, threatens, harasses, injures, or kills livestock, poultry, other domestic animal, or other animal, that is the property of another person, except a cat or another dog, can be killed at the time of that chasing, threatening, harassment, approaching, attempt, killing, or injury.”

Chedester alleged in his petition that “while lawfully upon his (own) property in Belmont County and lawfully hunting deer, (he) witnessed two foreign dogs on multiple occasions running, chasing and menacing deer, disturbing the natural habitat of said deer.” Chedester’s petition argues that he shot the two dogs to prevent them from further disturbing his hunt.

However, the code states a resident may kill a “dog that chases, threatens, harasses, injures, or kills livestock, poultry, other domestic animal, or other animal, that is the property of another person.” The statute does not specifically address wild animals such as deer.

Chedester deposited a sum of $2,000 as a “good faith payment” with the court, and requested the court summon the dogs’ owner, Pete Byers. He also requested a determination of the value of the dogs, and of any damage to his property by Byers’ dogs.

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