By MATT LINDSEY
North Country Now

HELENA -- A Helena man is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for shooting his dog.

Chris Cole knew something was wrong Jan. 4 when he went to check on his dog when he saw no footprints in the yard and heard no barking. He had recently started caring for his father’s pet, German shepherd Chloe. His father, Alan C. Cole, passed away in November from cancer.

Chloe still lived at Alan’s residence on North Road where the shooting took place. Chris had been splitting time at his own residence, which is also in Helena, and his father’s to care for the dog and estate.

“I live in town and couldn’t bring her to my own home,” he said.

Chloe had access to go inside the heated home as she wanted, as well as to food and water, he said.

When Cole found Chloe Jan. 4, she was lying under a tree. “She was just staring at me,” he said. She was unable to move, had blood on her and was frozen to the ground.

Chloe was shot in the back at close-range with shotgun on Jan. 3, Cole said.

“She had drug herself through the snow and laid out all night … and this was the night it snowed,” he said.

Cole took Chloe to the veterinarian, even though he says he knew she likely would not live.

“No point in suffering,” Cole said about the decision to euthanize her.

“She meant the world to my wife (Tammy) and I,” Cole said, noting it was one of the last links to his parents.

He contacted police immediately after leaving the veterinarian’s office.

Cole said SLC Deputy Brian Thivierge came to his home, took statements and talked to others including neighbors and people he suspects may be involved.

There were reportedly no tire marks, human footprints or shell casings at the scene.

“There aren’t many leads or evidence,” Thivierge said.

Cole could not get into in-depth details due to the ongoing investigation, but he believes he knows who is responsible for Chloe’s death.

Thivierge is under the impression the shooter shot the dog from a vehicle that was on the road. The shooter did not appear to come onto Cole’s property.

There are several charges that could be levied, including firing a gun from the road toward a home.

“I want the law to handle this and make the people pay for what they did,” he said. “This can’t be considered normal or a small thing … people could have gotten hurt.”

St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating the shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to contact St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputy Thivierge at 315-379-2222.