$4000 Reward Offered for Dog Killer

A four thousand dollar reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspect responsible for the shooting death of Dixie, the border collie. Dixie was shot three times by a pellet gun while in her backyard in Star, Idaho. The puppy was rushed to the hospital, but it was too late to save her life. So far, no suspects have been arrested in the case.

Reward signs are planted all around her neighborhood in Star. Organizers ask that anyone with information call the non-emergency number for the Ada County Sheriff's Office at 208-377-6790.

Donations are being accepted at any branch of Idaho Central Credit Union. You can donate at any ICCU Branch under the 'Justice for Dixie' account. You can call ICCU at 208-846-7000 to verify that the account is legitimate.

Eighteen-year-old Abby Taylor told Channel 7 that she's struggling to deal with the loss. She said the day started like a normal one until she came home to find her beloved dog shot and in pain. The puppy suffered seizures while being taken to the hospital. Abby explained, "I never thought I would be in this position."

The Idaho Humane Society issued the following statement at the time of Dixie's death.  “We are offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals responsible for this cruel behavior. We remain committed to animals and are available to assist police authorities investigating this case, if needed.”

The Ada County Sheriff's Office issued the following release when the shooting first occurred.

Investigators are working to figure out what led to a 9-month-old Border Collie mix getting fatally shot by a pellet gun while she was in a fenced-in backyard in a residential Star neighborhood Monday.

Police were called to a home on West Gambrell Street, which is in the Star Road/State Street neighborhood, just after 4 p.m. Monday.

A resident told investigators when he came home earlier in the afternoon, he discovered the family’s 9-month-old dog Dixie lying in the back yard, where she was visibly injured.

The family rushed the dog to the vet, who determined she had been shot at least three times by a pellet gun, which shot “diablo” pellets, a common ammunition for air guns.

The dog was not able to recover from her injuries.

The family was not home during the day and the dog was in the fully fenced-in back yard during that time. There was no evidence of a break-in.

Officers spoke to several neighbors Monday evening and continue to investigate, but do not have any leads at this time.

Here is a link to our original story.