Aurora was a husky who lived with her family in Williamstown, Vermont. On September 25, police were called to a family fight on Flint Road. When it was over, Aurora had a severed spinal cord and had to be euthanized.
Police say Christopher Covey, 43, "intentionally and maliciously tormented a dog" with a lethal weapon. He has been charged with animal cruelty, including aggravated animal cruelty, and on October 21 he pleaded not guilty. Mr. Covey told police he fired a pistol at the ground to scare his family and did not aim at the dog. The treating veterinarian said a ricochet and shrapnel severed Aurora's spinal cord.
A jury or a judge will decide what happened. Until then, one person controls whether this case is taken seriously: the Orange County State's Attorney. That office decides how hard to pursue the charges and whether to offer a plea that reduces or erases them.
I am Eric from I Love Every Dog, and I am asking the Orange County State's Attorney to keep the aggravated animal cruelty charge in place, to refuse any plea deal that drops the felony-level count, and to ask the court for conditions that keep every animal away from Mr. Covey while the case is open.
Firing a gun inside a home during a family crisis puts people and pets at risk. Aurora had no way to get out of the way. If you have ever loved a dog who was part of your family, please sign and ask the State's Attorney to give Aurora's case the weight it deserves.
