Man shoots neighbor's German shepherd for interacting with his dogs through fence, cops say

A Franklin Township man is charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal and recklessly endangering another person after police say he shot his neighbor's German shepherd for interacting with his three little dogs through their fence.

Pennsylvania State Police in Gettysburg responded to a shot dog call at 2 p.m. Sept. 21. When police arrived, they saw a one-year-old dog named Nova lying in the driveway in the 2000 block of Pine Grove Road with a gunshot wound to her neck/shoulder area, according to the affidavit.

Nova's owners, who were holding a bandage to her neck, said that their neighbor, Steven Joseph Hertzler, 58, had shot their dog.

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Hertzler told police that Nova had charged his dogs and attempted to attack them. Afraid for his dogs, Hertzler grabbed his .44 magnum revolver from the house and fired it toward Nova with his eyes closed, the affidavit said.

Nova had to be euthanized because of her injuries.

Police removed Hertzler's gun, which was found to be an Interarms "Astra" .44 Magnum Revolver. It contained one discharged .44 magnum shell casing, the affidavit said.

Police determined that Nova was on the opposite side of the fence when she was shot. Directly behind Nova and downrange from Hertzler were the dog's owner Cameron Keith Graham, another man and two juveniles.

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Graham told police that he had just let Nova out of his truck when she went over to sniff Hertzler's dogs through the fence. Graham then said that Hertzler appeared at his door with the gun, pointing it in the general direction of the victims and yelling for someone to remove Nova, the affidavit said.

Graham said that Nova began walking back to him when Hertzler shot her, the affidavit said. The children claimed that they had been yelling for Nova to come back the whole time Hertzler was yelling.

Hertzler is also facing charges of simple assault, terroristic threats and cruelty to an animal.