Trial ordered for Pa. man accused of shooting dog, dragging it along behind his wheelchair

Man accused of dragging dead dog behind wheelchair

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — A western Pennsylvania man accused of fatally shooting his puppy and dragging the dog’s carcass behind his wheelchair has been ordered to stand trial.

Police say 59-year-old Larry Stonebrook told them he shot the 9-month-old boxer because it was tearing up his house and biting him.

Police found the dog’s abandoned carcass Aug. 3 and followed a trail of blood to Stonebrook’s housing project.

Police say Stonebrook shot the dog with a 16-gauge pump shotgun. Stonebrook told police he intended to bury the dog, but instead left it along a street after dragging it several blocks. Stonebrook uses a wheelchair because he has only one leg.

He had pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty and other charges at Thursday’s preliminary hearing.

Information from: The Tribune-Democrat, www.tribune-democrat.com