The death of two dogs in Brentwood over the weekend has sparked a petition to change a state law that permits property owners to kill dogs attacking their livestock.
Brentwood resident Rocky Osborn and his fiancee Ellen Barkley were out of town on Saturday when they learned their Rottweiler named Jager and German Shepherd named Luke were missing.
The rescue dogs escaped by breaking a board on a fence in the backyard, Osborn said.
Family members continued to canvass the neighborhood for the dogs until Sunday when Osborn's daughter was tipped off by a neighbor who said a resident of a home at the end of Creek Road had killed the dogs.
Police were notified of the incident on Sunday and their investigation discovered that on Saturday around 9:30 a.m. the dogs allegedly went to a property on Creek Road and killed poultry, O'Grodnick said.
Over 40 chickens and turkeys died, according to Contra Costa County Animal Services.
The dogs allegedly tried to attack an individual at the property who in turn used a shovel to kill the dogs, police said.
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The individual then incinerated the remains of the poultry and dogs, according to Contra Costa County Animal Services.
Osborn said animal services confronted the individual and no evidence was found of the killings at the property.
Osborn identified the individual as Jon Christ, who was at his father's home on Creek Road.
Osborn said Christ took representatives from animal services on Monday to his workplace at G3 Enterprises Minerals Division in Byron where he used company equipment to bury the dogs.
The dogs remains were found but remains of poultry were not recovered, Osborn said.
Animal control found Jager's dog collar cut in half and covered in blood, Osborn said.
The family now has the remains in bread bags and Osborn said he plans to have them cremated.
He also plans to move out of their home because there are too many memories with the dogs.
"I think he shot them but he denies that. I can't prove it because there's no evidence," Osborn said.
Under state law people are allowed to kill dogs if they are found "killing, wounding, or persistently pursuing or worrying livestock or poultry on land."
While Osborn said he understands the law he does not agree with how Christ tried to "cover and hide" the remains.
The dog owners started a petition on Change.org looking to change the law and calling on authorities launch an investigation against Christ.
The petition has already gained 2,000 signatures as of 4 p.m. Tuesday and is available online at www.change.org/petitions/justice-for-jager-and-luke.
"I want to change the law so people can't just dispose of dogs without contacting animal control or owners... My dogs did not deserve to die like that," Osborn said.
Anyone with additional information on the incident is asked to call Contra Costa County Animal Services at 925-335-8300.
