Ryan Hayes shot Patches with a .357

[Unamused Cat]

A man who allegedly shot and killed a small terrier that followed him into his bedroom initially told police that the pooch shot itself while playing with his .357 magnum pistol.

Lakewood police say Ryan Hayes, 49, put a round through the dog's head last week.

Hayes, who had been drinking, was arrested and taken to Jefferson County Jail on suspicion of possessing a weapon while under the influence, animal cruelty and reckless endangerment. He is free on a $2,000 bond.

He declined to comment on the incident.

Marlys Duggan said she and her dog, Patches, an 11-pound Jack Russell mix, stopped by the house in the 1300 block of Otis Street in Lakewood, where Hayes lives with his mother, to visit last week.

"They are my across-the-street neighbors. I usually go over three or four times a week to visit with Rosie," said Duggan, 67.

Ryan Hayes seemed to like the 2-year-old dog, she said, giving him treats whenever they visited.

But on Thursday, Hayes had been drinking, said Duggan, who occasionally sobbed during a telephone interview today.

Duggan said Hayes told her he was going to take a shower, then stopped at the refrigerator for another beer before going to his room.

Patches followed him.

"He was thinking, 'Oh, boy, Ryan is going to the refrigerator — treat.' The next thing I knew, I heard this loud explosion," Duggan recalled. "I thought it was a transformer blowing."

She went to Hayes' room and found the dog's body. "Ryan said, 'I didn't do it. The gun was on the floor; he was playing with it.' "

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9809141

[LaceyLooWho]

Ya that makes sense because so many 11 pound dogs are suicidal these days. I happen to own a 10 pound terrier and even if he could play with a gun (that sounds ridiculous) I highly, and I mean HIGHLY doubt he could press the trigger hard enough to fire the weapon. This is just ridiculous on so many levels. The excuses of assholes like this never ceases to amaze me! Poor dog!

[TheMorningStar]

A jury in Golden is now deciding if a Lakewood, Colo., man is lying or if a Jack Russell terrier actually did shoot itself in the head while playing with a loaded gun.

Ryan Hayes, 49, is on trial for aggravated animal cruelty, reckless endangerment and prohibited use of a weapon while drunk. Hayes took the stand Thursday morning.

Hayes said the loaded .357-caliber pistol fired as he tried to get it away from his neighbor's dog, Patches.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news.../detail.html#-

[maryhaze]

christ on a crutch, i've had as many as 50 dogs at one time & we have guns & not one of these dogs have managed to fire a weapon. even tho they are pissed when i won't share my lunch with them. WTF i wanna shoot him, can i? please?

[Marv]

What the hell was a loaded .357 doing on the floor in the first place? And just how the hell did the dog manage to lift the barrel off the floor, aim at his own head, get his paw inside the guard AND fire the fucking thing? All in the space of a few minutes???

BULLSHIT!

[FlamingFox]

A man who allegedly shot and killed a small terrier that followed him into his bedroom initially told police that the pooch shot itself while playing with his .357 magnum pistol.

Lakewood police say Ryan Hayes, 49, put a round through the dog's head last week.



RIP Patches


http://www.denverpost.com/ci_9809141?source=rss

[FlamingFox]

A man who said his neighbor's dog was shot accidentally in July was convicted of animal cruelty Thursday.

The Jefferson County District Court jury deliberated about two hours before convicting Ryan Hayes on four misdemeanor charges of aggravated animal cruelty, reckless endangerment and prohibited handling of a firearm while intoxicated.

The jury rejected a felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty.


http://www.rockymountainnews.com/new...-/?partner=RSS

[Rockin Ma]

I don't know much about guns so maybe they are called the same thing but can look different. The one I know of I called "The Three Five Seven Flex" and it was really long. I mean, do they come smaller for this guy to really try to suggest the dog shot itself?

[DogMom]

Man Who Shot Dog Given Probation, Community Service

DENVER -- A Lakewood man was given community service and probation for shooting his neighbors Jack Russell Terrier, authorities said Monday.

Ryan Cullen Hayes, 51, was found guilty of misdemeanor animal cruelty, two counts of reckless endangerment and one count of prohibited use of a weapon under the influence in February, said Pam Russell of the First Judicial District Attorney's Office.

She told the vet what Hayes had told her, that the dog was playing with the loaded gun on the floor and it went off.

The veterinarian told Duggan that the injury could not have been self-inflicted and she contacted Lakewood police.

Hayes testified in his own defense and told jurors that the dog was batting his loaded .357-caliber pistol around on the floor when he grabbed the gun and it went off.

Defense attorney Walter Gerash said Hayes was horrified after the shooting, and that Hayes had a tender relationship with the dog.

Hayes will serve eight years probation and 100 hours of community service.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news...19/detail.html

Bullshit he had a *tender relationship* with the dog.

[Unamused Cat]

Thanks for the update DogMom.