FLEETWOOD, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Game Commission said a case of mistaken identity caused a Berks County family to lose their dog after it was shot while out for a walk with its owner.
Hunter, an 8-year-old malamute mix, was a beloved pet of the Heller family. He was out for a walk with his owner, Chris Heller, along a groomed path at the Lake Ontelaunee Trails in Richmond Township, Berks County, when he was shot on the morning of Jan. 7.
"[We] walked out, did our normal trail and we came on a hunter and I was like, 'what is going on?'" Heller recalled. "[The hunter] told me deer season has been extended, it is still deer season. I said, 'Alright, we are going to go finish this loop out.' And, well, three-quarters of the way through the loop Hunter was shot"
Heller says he didn't know it was extended hunting season for the Wildlife Management Area but came to realize there were hunters in the area after stopping and talking to members of a hunting party.
"The dogs and I just passed one hunter that was walking down the same trail that we were," he said. "I just passed him when the shot came."
It is a moment Heller won't forget.
"I yelled, 'Please tell me you didn't shoot my dog!' And the guy said, 'I think he did,'" Heller said. "I ran down and I saw Hunter twisting around trying to kill whatever hurt him that bad. I [got] to him and he snapped at me until he figured out who I was. And I got him to calm down and I got him to lay down"
Heller says the dog wasn't on a leash and was about 30 to 40 yards away from him when he was shot. He was wearing a teal, green and black body harness with a metal chain.
Heller demonstrated how his dog Hunter was wearing the harness and collar.
"He was wearing this," he said. "This goes around the body, this was an actual collar."
FOX43 asked the Pennsylvania Game Commission if the hunter who fired the round clearly identified what was in his scope according to Game Commission's standards and listed in their published materials.
The Game Commission released the following response:
"Positively identifying your target is fundamental to hunter safety, and it's a point of emphasis in our Hunter-Trapper Education classes. Circumstances can make that difficult, but it's always important."
When asked if the case is closed, Game Commission spokesperson Travis Lau said, "The investigation did not detect a game law violation and the Game Commission did not file charges."
The Hellers feel the hunter should face some level of consequence for his mistake.
"Have your license revoked, [and] learn what a coyote looks like," Heller told FOX43.